


Shadow Relations

by Rahar_Moonfire



Series: Shadow Justice [7]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Arrow (TV 2012), Justice League, Tears to Tiara, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, X-Men - All Media Types, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's, Yu-Gi-Oh! GX
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Dimension Travel, F/M, Greek Mythology - Freeform, M/M, Multi, Multiverse, Mythology - Freeform, Shadow Court, Shadow Realm, Yami no Game | Shadow Game, multifandom - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-23
Updated: 2017-03-24
Packaged: 2018-03-02 22:28:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 56
Words: 219,914
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2828300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rahar_Moonfire/pseuds/Rahar_Moonfire
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sequel to <i>Shadow Justice.</i></p><p>It's been a year since the Shadow Court dealt with Akhenadin, the Shadow Thief, and the serial murders in Starling City with the Justice League's help. Now Seto Kaiba, the Regent of the Shadow Realm and Earthbound Shadow Kingdom, is returning to Starling City to help break ground for a new orphanage both he and Oliver Queen, otherwise known as the vigilante Green Arrow, have been planning to build. But something is making Kaiba and Seth uncomfortable and paranoid.</p><p>Then Ishizu has a vision of murder on a grand scale and the possible unearthing of the former Pharaoh Set's grave. She sets out to stop it sparking a series of events which may lead to the destruction of the Shadow Realm, or more.</p><p><b>Chapter 56 summary:</b>A teaser for <i>Shadows Ascending.</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Spark

**Author's Note:**

> **A/N:** It has been done! Chapter 1 of the sequel has ben written and posted! Hallelujah I can sleep tonight. No seriously, I was stupid and drank 2 full cups of regular coffee and half a cup of mild coffee right before I went to bed. I could not fall asleep or get out of my fully awake state for over an hour. It was miserable. I'm sticking to hot tea from now on.

_Oliver Queen found him standing on the balcony away from the dense crowds of people and reporters inside. It was so predictable it was amusing. Oliver was willing to bet the other one was stalking the food table.  
_

_"Hey," he called jolting the person out of his thoughts. "I come in peace and I bear a gift."_

_"I don't do bribery," the young man said, standing tall and crossing his arms sternly._

_Oliver just shrugged. "Well, I suppose I could just take this cup of fresh, hot black coffee back…"_

_A dark eyebrow twitched and the young man's shoulders drooped. He held out his hand and waited expectantly for Oliver to chuckle and hand his friend the black gold. Kaiba took a long, grateful drink, wincing when his tongue was scaled._

_"I did say it was hot," Oliver said, joining the young CEO by the railing. Kaiba just shot him an annoyed look and kept drinking. "Where's Mokuba?"_

_"He found the chocolate fountain," Kaiba said, nodding to the food table._

_Oliver turned and realized this vantage point had a perfectly clear view of the chocolate fountain and coffee pots. Sure enough, there was Mokuba holding out a strawberry impaled on a stick into the flowing chocolate. He already had three on the plate he was holding with his other hand. Oliver smiled and shook his head, turning back to his friend._

_"How have you been?" he asked. "It's been almost a year. I was beginning to think you'd found someone else."_

_Kaiba froze and leveled Oliver with a dull glower. "Please tell me you're not picking up after Mai," he groaned._

_Oliver smiled and shook his head. "Nah. I never got to tell you why I didn't bring Lantern to your farewell party last year," he said._

_Kaiba's eyebrow lifted and he shrugged. "I figured he was busy trying to figure out where he belonged in the mess of past lives, memories that weren't there but are now, and a woman he likely saw as a friend before now turning out to be a previous, possibly future lover."_

_Oliver shook his head with an incredulous smile. "You know how ridiculous that's sounds? I kind of feel bad that I not only understand it but agree with it."_

_"Well, it's what I had to do," the CEO said calmly, drinkin_ g _more of his coffee. "I can wait a little longer, I suppose. How have you been?"_

_"Oh, you know. Just dealing with life is all," he said. He noticed Kaiba shiver violently spilling dribbles of coffee on his hand, too close to the stark white KaibaCorp suit sleeve he wore for comfort. "Woah, hang on. Hang on."_

_Oliver snagged the cup and helped the young man quickly brush away the scalding hot droplets. Kaiba huffed in annoyance, deliberately pulling his hand away and turning around to face the cityscape and sulk. Oliver watched his Regent carefully. What had just happened was completely out of character for the Seto Kaiba he knew. Everyone shivered certainly, but something told the vigilante of Starling City that Kaiba was not as well as he would have people believe._

_"Hey," he said more softly, holding out the coffee as a peace offering. "What's wrong?"_

_Kaiba stared at the coffee for two full seconds before giving in and taking it by the handle. He sipped it silently for several moments while he gathered his thoughts. "I don't know," he said quietly. "It started about a week or so ago and it's gotten worse. I'm not sick, or at least if I am, it's nothing any of the doctors can figure out. It's not the Shadows, they're calm for the moment. It could be my reaction to my Priestess."_

_"What wrong with her?" Oliver asked._

_Kaiba glanced at him for taking another drink. "She's sick. Nothing serious, just a migraine. It happens every now and then when she strains her foresight to the limit."_

_"But migraines don't usually last for a week, right?" Oliver asked. "I mean, if they do, then I have the greatest respect and sympathy for anyone who has to endure them."_

_Kaiba's lips twitched ever so slightly upwards and Oliver counted that as a victory. His relief was short lived when Kaiba spoke again, all humor gone. "I feel…I feel like someone's walking on my grave."_

_Oliver sighed. "I'm only familiar with the turn of phrase, but I think you mean it differently than that."_

_"Maybe," Kaiba said shrugging, "maybe not. I'm not sure. It's just… That's the only explanation I can come up with at the moment."_

_"Nii-sama!" Both men turned to see little Mokuba Kaiba run across the floor holding his plate of four chocolate covered strawberries and a bright smile on his face. "I made two for you," he chirped. "See?"_

_He held out his plate proudly displaying the four, huge, bright red strawberries covered in cooling chocolate. Kaiba smiled and held out a hand for his brother. In the background several cameras flashed, catching the scene. Kaiba ignored them, turning his head to place his cup on the railing when there was a loud gunshot echoed through the air._

_Oliver had just enough time to see the shocked expression on Kaiba's face before the CEO collapsed into the vigilante's arms, a bleeding gunshot wound through his forehead. Screams rang out as people ran inside away from the windows, but Oliver did not move. His eyes could barely tear themselves away from the bullet hole in the center of Kaiba's pale forehead. Blue eyes were wide in shocked fear, pleading with Oliver to help. But Oliver knew he was too late to do anything to save the Regent. He placed a hand over Kaiba's chest then forehead and felt nothing. Seto Kaiba was dead._

_"Nii-sama!"_

_Mokuba. Oliver dropped Kaiba's body and dove for Mokuba, covering the boy with his own body. He scooped up Kaiba's baby brother and ran for the glass doors to the building, but the people inside had closed them and barricaded them leaving Oliver and Mokuba as well as another elderly couple outside unable to find shelter. Furious, Oliver kicked the doors, but the table pushed against the door held it in place preventing the glass from breaking completely._

_All of this had only taken a total of six seconds to take place, but it was long enough for Oliver to realize that he would not be able to get inside this way. He held the screaming Mokuba in his arms and ducked behind one of the thick stone banisters holding up the railing lining the balcony. Mokuba kept screaming and crying, trying to escape Oliver's arms and race for the dead body of his big brother. But no matter_ _how badly Oliver wanted to let Mokuba do that, he knew doing so would put the boy in harm's way which was something Kaiba would never forgive him for. Also, he never wanted Mokuba to have to see his brother with the bullet hole through his head. Seeing it happen in front of him was bad enough._

_Oliver squeezed Mokuba close and tried his best to calm the boy when another sound rumbled through the stone beneath him. He lifted his head and saw flames roaring through the room inside before bursting out the windows. Oliver had a brief moment to comprehend that what he was seeing was a bomb before another rumble shook the balcony and the ground fell out from beneath him. He grabbed the banister with one hand and Mokuba with his other but the abrupt jolt when the balcony slammed against the building wall jostled his hand free and they fell._

* * *

_"NO!"_

"Ishizu! _Ishizu_! Please wake up! Ishizu _please_!"

Slowly, midnight blue eyes cleared and focused on the man in front of them. Pale brown eyes the shade of spice tea stared back at her with love and worry. Gasping for breath, she quickly looked around and saw her bedroom, her bed, her brother sitting next to her, light purple eyes filled with fear, before returning to Shaadi. It was clear Shaadi had been startled awake and raced to her side not bothering to get fully dressed or wrap his turban around his head leaving his short black hair exposed.

Ishizu slumped into Shaadi's arms, her free hand reaching out to Marik who joined the hug. She tried to catch her breath and calm her tears, focusing on the two people here with her who cared about her. She needed the grounding they gave her. She noticed she was being rocked gently by the two men and Marik had begun singing a lullaby. She did not know or care how long they sat there like that, but when she was finally in control of herself, she sat up.

"Was it a vision?" Marik asked gently.

Ishizu nodded stiffly. "Yes." He closed her eyes and took a deep breath through her nose, releasing it slowly through her parted lips. She reopened her eyes and the determination and stubborn loyalty both men had come to associate with the Priestess of the Balance had returned. "Someone seeks to murder the Regent and the Keeper. If we do not act fast, we will lose Arrow as well." She looked directly at Shaadi whose eyes had widened before narrowing, giving Ishizu his full attention. "I won't let that happen."

She leapt up from the bed still in her thing nightgown and grabbed her cell phone. "Marik, get me the maps of all the active archeological sights. Shaadi, get some tea brewing please. I'm going to call Kaiba."

Marik hesitated just long enough for Ishizu to wave him off insistently. He ran into her office and unlocked the safe where she kept the maps of all the archeological sites, both official and unofficial. He grabbed the stack of papers and hurried back to the bedroom. Ishizu was pacing nervously back and forth by the foot of her bed repeatedly pulling her phone away to redial the number and press the speaker back to her ear.

"Is he not answering?" Marik asked, tucking a stray strand of blonde hair behind his ear. Frustrated when it fell back into his face, he grabbed the scrunchy from his wrist and pulled his hair back into a messy but manageable ponytail.

Ishizu pulled the phone away from her ear for the third time since Marik returned and glared at it hatefully. Ishizu stomped her foot and fumed surprising her brother. Marik wisely took a cautious step back from his sister and began laying out the many maps on the bed.

Ishizu dropped the phone on the bed and began spreading out the maps. Both Ishtars looked up in surprise when the overhead light came on. They looked to the switch where Shaadi stood holding three mugs of steaming tea. He extended his hand holding two mugs to the siblings who took them silently.

"I have learned that things are easier to see in the light, hm?" he said calmly. He sat down next to Ishizu and said gently, "Now, why don't you tell us what to look for."

The Priestess took a sip of the licorice tea and sighed. "I don't know," she admitted. "I'm not even sure if I'm right."

"There's no harm in looking," Marik said. "Tell us what you saw or heard and we can go from there."

Ishizu shook her head so her long ebony hair tumbled over her shoulders. She ran a hand over her lips as her thoughts raced through her head. "He said he felt like someone was walking on his grave," she said softly.

"Who?" Marik asked gently, rubbing his sister's shoulder encouragingly. "Kaiba?"

Ishizu nodded. "He was ill, but said the doctor's didn't know what was wrong."

Shaadi nodded solemnly. "Yes. I have heard of such things. It is a phrase often used to describe an unexplained chill or feeling of discomfort or paranoia."

"He shivered rather violently and Arrow moved to help him," Ishizu said lifting her eyes to Shaadi's. "They spoke and then he was shot." She felt gooseflesh cover her skin at the memory of shocked blue eyes under a dark bullet hole streaming liquid red down the young face.

"Easy," Marik said, setting his tea on the bedside table and pulling his sister into a hug. "It's alright. We're going to change it. I promise. Don't dwell on it, just tell us what you think is important."

The woman nodded but did not pull away from her brother's embrace, needing the comfort and stability he offered. "He was sniped."

Both men blinked. "So it was a professional hit, then," Marik murmured.

"There was also at least one bomb involved," Ishizu added. "The balcony they were on broke causing Arrow and Mokuba to fall."

"Definitely professional then," Shaadi said. He tilted his head. "Although I do wonder why a bomb was added when a single bullet would have done the job efficiently with very little fuss."

"Unless it was the fuss they were after," Marik said lifting an eyebrow. "I was not without my own dramatic flair, remember."

"No," Ishizu said, shaking her head against Marik's shoulder and forcing herself to sit up. "I don't believe the two were related. It felt too...dis... It did not feel like the same culprit. Only one shot was fired and there was ample time to fire at Mokuba, but it never happened."

"Unless someone wanted to hide the bullet wound by blowing everything up," Marik suggested.

But again, Ishizu shook her head. "No. I stand by my belief that it was two different people behind it."

"So we have two enemies to worry about."

"Not necessarily," Shaadi said thoughtfully sipping his tea. "We are assuming the bombs were meant for the Regent. What if they were not?"

"It still managed to kill Mokuba and Arrow," Marik said. "Although I see what you mean. Ishizu tried to contact Kaiba but he didn't pick up."

"He's probably already on the flight to America." Ishizu took a another sip of her tea, her midnight blue eyes scanning the many maps scattered across the mattress in front of her. Her eyes settled on a particular map half hidden by several others. It was old, with crease marks, and obviously a replica of a much older map she remembered was kept locked away in a climate controlled vault.

On it was an detailed rendition of the Nile River delta, the location of the ancient city Iunu, renamed Heliopolis by the ancient Greeks, and the locations of several personally important grave sites. Atem's had caved in on itself after the Ceremonial Duel had been completed and the Pharaoh rejected going to the afterlife in favor of remaining with his Ba. But the locations of the others nearby had remained undisturbed. Or had they?

_"I feel like someone's walking on my grave."_

The descendants of Isis, the High Priestess who wore the Millennium Tauk under the rule of Atem and Set, had become tombkeepers and made it their life's duty to protect the graves of the formerly Nameless Pharaoh and his Shadow Court. But over time, lack of money, resources, and people made it difficult. The clan had been forced to narrow their protection to only the tomb of the formerly Nameless Pharaoh.

It had turned out to be a fairly wise decision. While most of the archeologists focused on the more popular area of the Valley of the Kings seeking the lost pharaohs' tombs, it left the area of the original Shadow Court's tombs largely undisturbed. Then Sugoroku Motou had appeared and somehow slipped past their safeguards and taken the Millennium Puzzle from the tomb. Now they knew Yugi's grandpa was actually the reincarnation of Siamun, Pharaoh Akhenamkhanen and Pharaoh Atem's advisor, and the Ishtar clan had given way to fate and destiny.

But now she wondered. Had it indeed been wise to remove her clan's watch from the other gravesites? The man Carter Hall had discovered the tomb of the false descendants of Ra and consequently helped the reborn Akhenadin wreck havoc on Starling City as well as the sanity and souls of Kaiba and his Ba, Seth. What if another person had begun to unearth Set's final resting place?

She pulled the map towards her, taking a sip of her tea as she did so. Her eyes immediately focused on the dot representing the tomb of Set. It was close enough to Atem to have kept at least a partial eye on and still keep the two friends close even after death, but far enough away to prevent being easily found, or so she hoped.

"Has anyone listed new potential archeological dig locations?" she asked.

Marik shook his head. "Not that I am aware," he said slowly. "But I can ask."

He got up and pulled out his phone to call the museum and a few of his connections in the underworld he maintain contact with. Shaadi slid closer and took Ishizu's free hand in his drawing her attention to him. He met her eyes calmly.

"Are you sure you are well?" he asked gently. "Is there anything I can do?"

Ishizu smiled and shook her head. She placed her now mostly empty mug down on the bedside table next to Marik's. "I am well physically," she answered softly. "But my mind is..." She shook her head. "In turmoil. I have seen death in both this life and the previous, but I forget how violent and sudden it can be."

Shaadi nodded. "Yes. I remember," he whispered. His strange yet gentle eyes settled on the map and he sighed. "You think someone may have found Set's tomb."

"I am not sure," she said tiredly. "I could be reading too much into a stressed young man's words."

"Or it could be your intuition combined with a young man struggling to put words to what he is feeling," Shaadi said. "Kaiba hardly ever says anything without first considering the ramifications his words could have."

"Except when he's flustered," Ishizu said, a small smile pulling at her lips.

Shaadi's stoic expression eased to something softer. "Yes. But he is young still."

"Youth has nothing to do with it," Ishizu said with a sly grin. "As I recall, you were not your usual confident self when you asked permission to court me."

"With your brother hovering over my shoulder waiting for me to misstep," Shaadi said calmly, "you can hardly blame me."

"No," Marik said, glaring down at the Egyptian who was too close to his sister for his approval. "And if you don't back away right now, I'll show you a new definition of 'hover.'"

"Marik," Ishizu chided. "I'm old enough to take care of myself."

"Yes, but I'm still your brother and Shaadi's not getting any until I give my expressed approval."

Shaadi flushed but obediently backed away so Marik could sit between them effectively cutting Shaadi off from Ishizu.

"I just heard," Marik said, brandishing his phone. "Ground just broke for a new archeological site close to Set's tomb."

"When did this happen?" Shaadi demanded.

"That's just it. It only happened about three days ago," he said. "They started early but had to put things on hold when there was some confusion with the paperwork. Also, there was apparently a cave in which again delayed things. Until last night. Sister," he lifted his worried eyes to Ishizu who was listening avidly, "I think they found the entrance to Set's tomb."

For a moment, no one spoke. Then Ishizu stood. "I'll call the museum. Perhaps the papers could get misplaced again."

"But now that they have found something, they will not stop digging," Shaadi said. "Human curiosity will force this to move forward."

"What if Kaiba came here?" Marik suggested.

"Here?"

"Not officially," Marik said quickly. "You and I are among the top Duelists in the world," he said to Ishizu. "Plus, it is known that Kaiba has an interest in Egyptian relics."

"He has visited museums," Shaadi said. "That hardly equals an interest."

"But it would not be out of character for him to visit," Marik said. "Like I said, it would not be official." He stared at Shaadi significantly who sighed heavily.

"I could teleport him here, yes," Shaadi said wearily. "But I would have to rest before I travelled. Plus, he is already on his way to the United States. The more pressing issue now is preventing his assassination."

"I can contact Arrow," Ishizu said. "I can give him some forewarning so he can prepare and hopefully prevent this."

"And if it doesn't work?" Marik asked cautiously.

"It will," Ishizu insisted. "I'll make sure of it."

"You plan on going there," Shaadi breathed standing. "I will go with you."

"The hell you will," Marik growled.

"He will, Marik," Ishizu said. "We all will."

"But that will leave the entire European and African continents unwatched," Marik exclaimed.

"Not if the King is willing to help," she countered. "Which we know he will. Besides, I think the Pharaoh would be interested in learning of the recovery of Set's tomb."

"Rishid will guide him," Shaadi said. "I will contact the airlines and find a flight that will take us close enough to Starling City for us to Travel from there."

"How long would this take?" Ishizu asked.

Marik pulled out his phone and Googled the approximate time. "If we left on the 3:00 a.m. flight, factoring in possible layovers and delays, approximately seventeen hours. And it would cost over $1,400 U.S. dollars per person."

Ishizu nibbled her thumbnail habitually. "We could catch one of the shorter flights and Travel some distances between airports," she said.

"I can teleport us longer distances if necessary," Shaadi offered.

Ishizu shook her head minutely and began pacing again going over possible scenarios and outcomes in her mind. "Marik," she said. "I need you to stay here." She raised her hand stopping his expected refusal and pulled him into a hug. "I'm trusting you to help Rishid keep the Pharaoh and Yugi safe. I know you can handle things while I'm gone. Trust me to do the same."

Marik sighed, caught in a bought of indecision. "I trust you," he said heavily. "I just..." He glanced at Shaadi and groaned.

"Do you want me to call Bakura and Ryou and have them come down here?" Ishizu asked. Marik glanced hopefully up at her and she smiled. "I'll do that then. And I think, we should contact the Justice League as well. This does involve Arrow and he is one of theirs as much as he is one of ours."

Marik and Shaadi nodded reluctantly. "I'll do that," Marik said. He pressed his forehead to his big sister's and whispered. "Are you sure, you're okay?"

Ishizu nodded. "I've been better," she admitted.

"Shaadi can drive us to the airport," Marik said. "That would give you the chance to inform the museum of your absence, I can help the papers regarding the archeological dig become misplaced again, and you can buy the plane tickets at the airport. How's that sound?"

"Good," the Priestess replied with a smile. "Now let's get going. We have to hurry."

"Any idea when the assassination was going to take place?" Marik called after his sister as she began throwing a couple changes of clothes into a small bag.

"No," Ishizu called. "But I'm guessing no more than two or three days at most."

Marik huffed. "I hate timelines."


	2. An Expected and Unexpected Arrival

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Kaiba is flexible and Oliver shows up early.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** Sorry this is a bit short. It's Christmas Eve and this my gift to y'all, my readers. I'm tired and I think I may be getting what my Dad's had since I got back from school at the start of my break. ...yay... Crap, just in time for Christmas too. Thanks Dad...

Seth sat on the leather seat calmly gazing out the window of the airplane. He had slowly grown used to the world outside Kaiba's soul room and the Shadows. He still disliked it when anyone other than Kaiba touched him. He tolerated the strange sensations from Mokuba because, while the boy was not his brother by blood, he was his brother by choice which meant more to him than a blood relation ever could.

He glanced over his shoulder to where Mokuba lay curled up in his seat, the safety belt cleverly adjusted to allow the boy to sit like he was. It was adorable and Seth could not resist reaching out and petting the messy black hair. Mokuba moaned and shifted closer to Seth's attention drawing a smile from the Ba.

An answering groan emanated from the person currently half stretched out across several chairs. Seth huffed a laugh and returned his attention to the head cradled in his lap. Pale skin, short brown hair framing a stern face identical to Seth's, and two closed blue eyes rested on Seth's lap. The Ba began running his fingers through the chestnut strands and the restless shifting eased.

It amused Seth to no end that his Ka could be so adorable and needy when he slept; well, always, but it especially showed when he was asleep and unguarded. Seth continued trailing his fingers through the earthy locks a shade or so darker than his own. Once again, he marveled at how someone as tall and lanky as Seto could contort into the position he currently lay in and still be comfortable enough to fall asleep.

"We've descended into the clouds," the only other person awake in the cabin said softly. It was a quiet observation probably not meant to be said aloud, but it drew Seth's attention nevertheless. Helios sat across the cabin facing Mokuba and staring out of the window.

Seth followed the Titan's gaze and sighed thoughtfully. He had felt the plane descending gently for a while now but finally seeing evidence of it was a welcome relief. It was proof of how close they were to solid land. Seth had no love for aircraft. He found them amazing and impressive but he much preferred the feeling of fresh air and wind on his face, not this claustrophobic tube of compressed space. He sighed and leaned back against the seat back only to startle back up when the captain's voice rang through the small cabin.

"We are on final approach to Portland International Airport," the captain said in Japanese. "Please prepare for landing."

Seto groaned and pushed himself up from his awkward sprawl, pausing to roll his shoulders and pop his neck as he did so. Seth smiled sympathetically and began massaging Seto's shoulders and back, leaning in to kiss the nape of his Ka's neck. Seto's skin warmed at the contact just like Seth knew it would. Seth retreated back into Seto's soul room before his Ka could aim a tired glower in his direction.

He watched through Seto's eyes as the Isono cousins woke from their naps as well and got ready to escort their charges once they landed. Not long after, he heard the undercarriage come down just as they broke through the clouds. Helios leaned forward in his chair to watch the landing take place and both Seth and Seto were struck by how different the Titan looked after just one year with them.

When he had first sought refuge with them, Helios had been windswept and haggard and seemed very much like a lost child. Over the past year, the Titan had grown more bold, the light of rebellion had been kindled in his eyes and he no longer bowed his head when he walked. Now he tied his chin-length white hair back in a small ponytail at the nape of his neck, stared everyone directly in their eyes when he spoke to them, spoke his mind, and no longer apologized every other word.

Seth did often find him staring absently out a window at the moon and both half souls of Set knew the Titan was thinking of his sister. No one from the Shadow Court had heard tell of the moon Titan so they could only hope she was safe with her lover. Helios rarely spoke of her but it was obvious she was on his mind. It was one of the few things that had not changed since his arrival.

The other significant thing that had not changed was Helios's instinctive fear of lightning storms. He still knew Zeus wanted him and would often retreat into the inner most room away from any windows or doors when there was even the hint of lightning. That was something that had been driven into his habit patterns for well over five millennia and would take a while to completely break the habit.

* * *

After the plane landed and taxied to a secure place on the tarmac, the door opened and the small group of five deplaned. There were several black vehicles waiting for them. Kaiba led the group to the car on the left selected completely at random when he noticed another car drive up. He stopped walking and waited for his companions to gather behind him. He noticed Helios step up beside him and smirked, proud of the progress the Titan showed. Even more pride inducing was the way the Isono cousins hurried in front of Kaiba and his group, hands on their gun holsters.

Kaiba placed a hand on Mokuba's shoulder, moving to stand in front of his little brother protectively and drew on his Shadows. He reached out to the car and felt for any potential threats. What he found was a familiar presence who greeted his Shadows with a teasing tug. Feeling in a teasing mood himself, he grasped the familiar Shadows with own and tugged a bit harder than he had to.

He placed a hand on both Roland and Fuguta's shoulders and stepped between them. When the car arrived, it turned aside and out of the back seat came none other than Oliver Queen. Kaiba crossed his arms and waited for the man to come to him.

"Kohai," he called. "You're early."

Oliver glanced at the cars waiting for Kaiba's group cautiously before smiling earning him a raised eyebrow from the young CEO. He waited until he was close enough to shake Kaiba's hand before speaking. "There's been a change of plans," he said. "Long story, but Ishizu called. We need to talk."

Kaiba, already alert, stiffened at the name of his Priestess. He glanced at the men waiting to pick up his group and offered a nod as he shook his friend's hand. "Then are you offering us a ride?"

"I am." Oliver stepped aside and waved Kaiba and his group to his car. "There's enough room for all of you in the back with me."

"But what about Roland and Fuguta?" Mokuba asked, stepping out from behind his big brother.

"There's room for them too," Oliver said with a smile. "Come on. We _need_ to talk."

Kaiba strode past Oliver and climbed into the car, sliding into the farthest seat. Mokuba climbed in after him, settling into the middle seat. Roland, Helios, and Fuguta climbed into the back row in that order before Oliver pushed the folded chair next to Mokuba back up and sat in it. He pulled the door closed and they drove off.

"John Diggle," Kaiba said to the man behind the wheel. "You look well."

The man shrugged and shook his head. "Honestly, how that's possible I'll never know."

Kaiba smirked before his eyes slid to Oliver's. "You said Ishizu called?" he said.

Oliver nodded. "She said she had a vision." The Starling City vigilante turned to face Kaiba and, after a brief glance at Mokuba who was staring at him with interest, continued. "She saw you die."

Kaiba's eyes narrowed. "Did she say how?"

"Sniped," Oliver replied succinctly, noticing the instant reaction from Kaiba's bodyguards. "On the balcony at the building the philanthropy party's suppose to take place."

Kaiba sighed and shook his head. "Does she know who's responsible?"

"No," Oliver replied. "But that's not all. There was also a bomb, possibly two. It killed me and Mokuba."

This time Kaiba's eyes widened and immediately flicked down to his little brother, assuring himself Mokuba was still there. To his credit, Mokuba did not flinch at the news. Rather, he placed a hand on his big brother's and squeezed.

"I assume that's why you came to pick us up personally," Kaiba said.

Oliver nodded. "Yeah. Apparently Ishizu thinks there're two different perpetrators." He held up a finger, "The sniper," he lifted a second finger, "and the bomber."

"Were they both after me, do you think?" Kaiba asked.

Oliver was already shaking his head but it was Diggle who answered. "It doesn't seem likely. It would make more sense if the sniper was the only one after you but the bomber was after everyone. That's usually how it goes. Unless it's a terrorist act in which case, we should receive a manifesto or some kind of shit soon before or after."

Kaiba hummed thoughtfully. "I won't cancel the construction," he said firmly, squeezing his brother's hand tightly. "I refuse."

"I agree," Oliver said. "But I suggest we take precautions. Like you don't go outside and stay away from windows, Mokuba too. I also pulled a few strings and it seems Arrow will be there along with a couple other metahumans."

"Metahumans?" Kaiba asked incredulously.

Oliver just shrugged. "It's what superhumans are called now apparently. Don't look at me, I didn't come up with it. I heard it started on the Internet and grew from there."

"Makes sense," Mokuba said. "Everything comes through the Internet one way or another."

"Which metahumans plan to appear?" Helios asked, leaning forward against the seat in front of him.

Oliver turned his body to face the Titan more directly. "Diana hopes to be there as does J'onn."

Kaiba tsked and muttered something in a mildly annoyed voice that sounded distinctly like, "Telepath."

Oliver chuckled. "Hey, it could be worse." Kaiba glanced at him suspiciously and the vigilante continued. "Superman could show."

Kaiba hissed and crossed his arms and legs in obvious annoyance. "The hell he is. The last thing I need is another Shadow Thief incident. If I hadn't been fast enough back there, the backlash of that Trap could have killed me."

"Let's just hope he stays out of it," Diggle said. "We've already told him to stay out unless things get serious. The last thing we need is a media storm."

"Won't you already be getting that with the Justice League appearing?" Helios asked.

"Not necessarily," Diggle replied. "The Justice League is known for making appearances at philanthropic functions, particularly those involving young children."

"Seeing as this is the celebration of breaking ground for the orphanage," Oliver said, taking over, "it would not be unusual for them to be there. J'onn will be incognito, though."

"Understandable," Kaiba muttered. He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes. "I was honestly hoping for a week off. This isn't what I needed."

"Join the club," Diggle said. "It's been quiet here. Not too quiet mind, but things have definitely calmed down in the past few weeks."

"Nothing of interest then?" Helios asked. Diggle shook his head and the Titan folded his arms on the back of the seat Mokuba sat in and rested his head on them. "Then was there anything else the Priestess said?"

Oliver hesitated before shaking his head. Kaiba stared at the vigilante significantly, lifting an eyebrow. "Kohai?" he said.

With a sigh, Oliver said, "She didn't say anything else, but I got the feeling she wanted to."

"If she didn't tell you, then it was probably because she wants to tell me in person," Kaiba said, pulling out his phone. He switched it off of airplane mode and was immediately inundated with a series of dings indicating missed calls and a couple voicemails. He flushed and dialed Ishizu's phone number.

"It's pointless," Oliver said, stopping Kaiba. "She's already on a plane here."

Kaiba sighed and leaned his head back against the headrest. "Fabulous," he said sarcastically. He switched off his phone and crossed his arms comfortably. "Then I suppose I'll hear everything in person by the end of the day."

"Is it just Ishizu who's coming?" Helios asked.

"I think Shaadi's coming with her," Oliver said.

"Then it'll likely be less than a day," the Titan said. "Shaadi will probably teleport them between airports to save time and cover more ground."

Kaiba hummed. The strange feeling of discomfort was beginning to return. Seth became antsy causing both half souls to shift restlessly until finally they shivered together. The paranoia that had been hounding them for the past several days came back in full force and Kaiba pinched the bridge of his nose, closed his eyes, and focused on his breathing.

He was fine. Seth was fine. Only friends were nearby. His Shadows would have informed him of another Shadow user in the vicinity. He had his Deck and his backup gun at his hip and Mokuba was safely next to him. There was no reason to be paranoid.

Except for the small fact that someone planned to shoot him at tomorrow's ground breaking ceremony in broad daylight and then bomb the entire place. Kaiba took a deep breath and fought back a second shiver. Whatever this feeling was, he did not like it, not one bit.

He shivered again and this time felt Mokuba squeeze his hand comfortingly just as another hand rested on his shoulder, Roland. Kaiba took a deep steadying breath and forced himself to relax. When he deemed himself sufficiently in control, he opened his eyes and sat back resolutely avoiding Oliver's eyes.

"Hey, you alright?" Oliver asked softly. Kaiba huffed and looked out the window, the opposite direction of the speaker. Oliver tried again. "Hey, I need to know if something's wrong. My city, my rules."

Kaiba sighed. "It's nothing serious," he said. "I just have a headache is all."

"You'll pardon me," Diggle said sardonically, "but last time I checked, headaches didn't cause convulsions."

"They weren't convulsions," Kaiba said, annoyed.

"Oh? 'Kay, then what were they?" Diggle challenged.

Kaiba met the driver's eyes through the rearview mirror for several moments before huffing and turning away. "Shivers."

"It's been happening for a while," Helios said. Kaiba glared at the Titan, daring him to say more. Helios met his glare defiantly and continued speaking. "For the past several days at least. They've been getting worse."

"What part of 'keep your mouth shut' don't you understand, Titan?" Kaiba growled.

"The part that involves your endangerment," Helios replied promptly. "Now, will you continue or shall I?"

Kaiba tsked and sulked.

"Kaiba-sama," Roland said softly. "Please? For my peace of mind, if nothing else?"

Kaiba remained silent for several moments before huffing. "It really is nothing," he said. "The doctors say I'm not sick, I have no fever, I feel fine. It's just a few bouts of...discomfort."

"Tell him what you told me," Helios said.

"I'm beginning to wonder if telling you was the wisest decision," Kaiba grumbled.

"We'll talk about that after you tell him," the Greek said calmly.

"Fuck you."

"I'm not particularly interested and neither are you," Helios countered. "Now speak, Set."

"Don't call me that," Kaiba growled turning to glare at the Titan angrily.

Helios calmly sat back, rested his folded hand on his knees, and met the piercing blue gaze with his own sun gold. "Then tell him," he said.

"He said it felt like someone was walking on his grave," Mokuba said quietly.

"Mokuba!" Kaiba said, staring at his little brother in surprise. "I thought I told you to go to sleep."

"You told me to go to bed," the younger Kaiba corrected. "I did. I just didn't go to sleep."

Kaiba huffed in frustration while Oliver sat back in thought. "Have you considered you may be sensing someone following you?" he offered. "I sometimes get that feeling when I'm being watched."

The young Japanese businessman shook his head firmly. "If I am being followed, it's no Shadow user," he said firmly. "I would have felt them. Also, Seth felt it first."

"Have you asked him what it is?" Diggle said.

"I have," Kaiba said nodding. "He doesn't know. But it makes him more uncomfortable than me. I'm mostly reacting to his paranoia."

"Alright then," Diggle said. "This should be fun."


	3. Windows and Waiting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the Kaiba group arrives at the hotel, windows are a problem, and they wait.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** This chapter may seem slow and short and I apologize for that but magic has its limits and I have to keep time, both literary and reality, in mind when I write this. Also, it turns out that yes, I am getting the cold or something along those lines. Thanks Dad. I have a runny nose, slightly sore throat, ears that won't pop, and a slight pressure in my ainuses. It could be due to the wavky weather we've been having or I could be getting sick. Ugh.
> 
> Anywho, I'm posting this tonight and will hopefully start getting to the good stuff tomorrow in the next chapter. Merry Christmas again~

"Where are we going?" Mokuba asked, noticing they were avoiding the downtown area of Starling City.

"To the hotel," Oliver said. "We're just taking a back way."

"Overly cautious," Kaiba muttered in Japanese.

"Better safe than sorry," Oliver replied in kind.

Both Kaiba brothers and the two bodyguards stiffened. Two pairs of startled eyes, one sparkling blue and the other dark gray, stared at forest green in surprise. "You... In a year?" Kaiba exclaimed in his native tongue.

Oliver just shrugged casually. "It's spoken by you and the entire Shadow Court so I figured it'd be good to learn it," he said with a crooked smile.

A grin made stretched across Kaiba's face sharpening his eyes. "Of course," he said proudly. Mokuba snickered and Helios gave a put upon sigh.

"This is it," Diggle said, pulling into the high rise hotel overhang.

Mokuba leaned over his big brother's lap and stared out the window in wide eyed awe. The building itself was a sleek steel and glass tower that glittered from the lights flickering inside and the cloudy sunlight outside. The convention center was a shorter building made of a material that resembled stone and was built in the same style as buildings more associated with the eastern coast of the United States.

"It's an interesting blend of the old and new," Helios said, admiring the architecture. "Athena was a good choice of centerpiece. Although, I think she could do without the armor. She doesn't often wear it."

"This is art," Diggle said, nudging the Titan aside so everyone else could file out of the SUV. "It's not always suppose to make sense. Just look weird and cost a lot of money."

Helios chuckled. "I can stand behind that."

"Move."

The group followed Kaiba into the lobby, each carrying their own bags.

"You didn't bring a lot," Diggle commented.

"I only bring what I have to," Kaiba replied. He approached the desk and signed them in. The woman behind the desk handed him four room keys and told the room number. Not surprisingly, they were once again on the highest floor.

"I forgot how much you like heights," Oliver said when they filed into the elevator.

Kaiba said nothing, simply slid in his key card and pressed the button for the seventeenth floor and waited for the elevator to glide up to his floor. When the doors opened, he waited for Fuguta to step out first before following. The bodyguard unlocked the hotel room door and entered first before allowing everyone else to enter.

The layout was similar to the one Kaiba stayed in last time he came to Starling City with one glaring difference. The entire far wall was covered with floor-to-ceiling windows. The first door immediately to the left of the entrance was to the bathroom. It was large with the tub and shower on the left wall, the toilet on the niche between the far shower wall and the true wall, and the sink on the right. The door on the far side of the sink opened to the bedroom.

The current room the group stood in was the common area. Aside from the far windowed wall, everything was black, white, and shades of gray. A couch with a long perpendicular side with no backrest sat in the middle of the room. Two cushioned chairs sat directly across from the couch with a coffee table in between. The rug underneath the furniture was a modern design of interlocking black and gray squares on a white backdrop.

A sliding glass door in the windowed wall opened up to a small Juliet balcony. It was just wide enough for a person to stand but that was about it. Two curtains hung on either side of the windowed wall. One was sheer and the other was a dark gray blackout curtain.

A fully stocked bar and small kitchenette was nestled on the wall that projected into the common room courtesy of the bathroom on the other side. A coffee pot with a full box of assorted coffees sat on the counter and Kaiba noted it with a smirk. A television was mounted on the wall across from the couch. A door hung open several feet from the television and that's where Kaiba walked.

The room behind the television wall was the bedroom. There were two queen size beds against the far wall, a television mounted on the wall they just walked through, a bedside table separating the two beds and a sliding glass door that opened up onto the black steel balcony. The sheer and dark gray blackout curtains also adorned this windowed wall, waiting to be pulled across the wall and blot out the light.

Oliver sighed heavily. "So much for staying away from windows and outside," he muttered.

Diggle stood next to the Starling City vigilante and shook his head. "I honestly don't know why I was expecting anything else," he said.

Helios did not follow the Kaiba brothers to the bedroom. Instead, he made his way to the windows, slid open the door, and stepped out into the late afternoon sunlight. Roland and Fuguta cased the three rooms inside the suite before taking up positions near the entrance and the bedroom door.

When Kaiba came back out Mokuba was still inside the room but Seth was out and about. True to his preferences, Seth had chosen to retain his ancient Egyptian attire, or a more modern and conservative rendition of it, and jewelry. Seth was speaking to Kaiba softly in hieratic and Kaiba seemed to be listening closely following Helios with his eyes. After a moment of contemplation, Kaiba nodded.

"You're welcome to stay here if you want," he said to Oliver and Diggle. "I have no plans for the day besides wait for Ishizu and Shaadi to show up."

"Any plans before that?" Oliver asked.

Kaiba shook his head. "No. Except try to get some real sleep and not the light airplane sleep."

Seth chuckled and stepped back into the bedroom. Kaiba followed his Ba's form with his eyes before rubbing the back of his neck, grimacing when his neck would not pop.

"If you don't mind, we might just take you up on that," Oliver said. "We'll just make ourselves comfortable out here."

The young CEO nodded. "I'll be in here if you need me." He ran a hand over his face and returned to the bedroom. He paused to let Mokuba bound out of the room before closing the door.

"Tired much?" Diggle asked.

"Yeah," Mokuba said. "He never sleeps well on airplanes."

"I'm with you there," the man said. "Mind if I get some coffee?"

"Sure. It's complementary. Just leave a couple for Nii-sama," Mokuba said before going over to the balcony just as Helios was coming back in. "Hey," he said.

Helios nodded to the boy before sitting down on the sectional, stretching out across the open length of cushion, kicking off his shoes as he did so. He heaved a sigh and closed his eyes.

"I take it this is where you'll be sleeping," Oliver said with a smile.

"Yes," Helios said. "I prefer open places like this to a bed. This is more in the style of beds I'm familiar with."

"We won't be bothering you will we?"

Helios shook his head and waved casually. "Not at all."

Oliver sat down on the couch close to Helios's head sipping his freshly brewed coffee. He took the time to actually study Helios's appearance. The Titan definitely looked healthier. "New hair style?" he asked, half teasing.

Helios huffed a laugh and let his eyes close comfortably. "If by tying it up instead of letting it hang in my face is trying a new style, then yes."

"It looks good."

Helios opened his eyes and unerringly caught forest green. "You do not have to speak if you don't want to."

Green eyes studied the cup of coffee carefully before Oliver took a sip just as Diggle joined him on the couch. "You said he's been experiencing that shivering thing for about a week now."

"Yes," Helios said softly. "It worries me. It is worse for Seth. What Kaiba is feeling is a reflection of what Seth feels."

"Do you think it could be an attack by an enemy?" Diggle asked.

"No," Helios said after a moment, shaking his head. "At least, no enemy I am aware of."

"So not Ares then," Oliver said.

Golden eyes flickered to the vigilante sharply. "No. I would know. I know how his power feels. Besides, he is more direct in his approach. He would either attack us directly or indirectly by possessing someone already in or near a battle rage."

"So basically as long as we don't get angry he can't possess us?" Diggle asked.

Helios nodded. "Correct."

Diggle shook his head. "Alright then."

"The Egyptians valued their graves," Helios said drawing everyone's attention to him. "The penalty for desecrating a tomb was death, no exceptions. The name of the person entombed there was often carved into the walls numerous times to prevent the soul from getting lost on its way to the afterlife. Without a name, you were nothing and were cursed to drift endless in the void. For Kaiba to even consider saying such a thing..."

"You think he may have been serious," Oliver said quietly.

Helios said nothing but turned his gaze to where Mokuba stood in the open doorway watching them with worried eyes.

"Will Nii-sama be alright?" he asked.

No one could answer him.

* * *

Kaiba collapsed on his bed closest to the window with his face buried in a pillow. Seth smiled indulgently and pushed open the sliding door to let the breeze and sounds in. A light drizzle had begun to fall providing a soft lullaby for his exhausted Ka.

"You should rest," Seth said softly in hieratic.

"What do you think I'm trying to do idiot?" Kaiba muttered into the pillow.

Seth sat on the bed and began tugging at Kaiba's trench coat. "Come on. Take this off."

Kaiba reluctantly sat up long enough to remove his coat and Deck holster. He promptly fell back onto the bed facedown. Seth hummed and began working out the kinks in Kaiba's back. Now that they were alone, he reverted his attire to the simple kilt and shoulder wrap he was used to wearing back in Egypt. Tossing a stray braid back over his shoulder, he straddled Kaiba's body and dug the heels of his hands into the tight muscles.

"How you manage to sleep on the plane in such positions knowing what it does to you is beyond me," he said.

 _:Shut up,:_ Kaiba grumbled in his mind causing Seth's lips to quirk upwards.

He found a particularly big knot and sat up on his knees and bounced, forcing all of his bodyweight onto the balls of his hands. Kaiba grunted in both pain and from the sudden loss of breath. Seth grinned and dug his thumbs into the knot mercilessly until it was finally worked out.

"This would be much easier if your shirt was off so I could actually see what I was doing, you know," he said.

 _:Sh...shut up,:_ Kaiba muttered in his mind. His mental voice was breathless and wavering from both pain and arousal.

Seth sent a rush of sympathy through their link and eased back on his ministrations. Kaiba's rejection of physical contact was not totally without cause. He, like their previous incarnation Set, was overly sensitive to touch. If anyone rubbed Kaiba's, Seth's, or Set's back, neck, or head even casually or medicinally like a masseuse, it could arouse them. It made it difficult when Kaiba pulled long hours and had to visit a chiropractor or his physical therapist after waking from his coma. The feeling was indiscriminate. It did not matter who touched them or when, the result was always the same.

Thankfully, Seth was both aware of and subject to this weakness and therefore Kaiba allowed him to do what a chiropractor or masseuse could not, touch him. Running his hands over his Ka's back thoroughly, Seth lifted his left leg and swung back so he sat on one side of Kaiba. He stretched out beside his Ka, blocking the rainy light from the windows.

He lay there calmly massaging Kaiba's neck until he felt eyes on him. He lifted his own eyes and met Kaiba's silently. Again, the guilt of feeling arousal for anyone other than Kisara returned and they looked away. Even though Kisara had given them her blessing and they were two halves of the same soul exactly like Yugi and Yami, Kaiba and Seth never took things too far. The knowledge that they had yet to find a way to return Kisara to her human form weighed heavily on them.

 _:Rest, my Ka,:_ Seth whispered in Kaiba's mind. _:The others will wake us when Shaadi and Ishizu arrive.:_

 _:They don't know the hotel or room number,:_ Kaiba answered.

 _:But they both have a phone and their Shadows. They can contact us or Mokuba or Oliver should they need to. Everything will be fine.:_ He pressed a gentle kiss to his Ka's forehead earning him a tired glower. _:Rest please. We will deal with this when we wake.:_

Without further complaint, Kaiba closed his eyes and fell asleep. Seth slithered as close to his Ka as he dared before laying his head on the pillow next to Kaiba and closing his eyes to join him in sleep.


	4. News, Plans, and KFC

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the stragglers arrive, plans are made, and Mokuba wins again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** Finally, the last of the slow chapters. After this, things should start happening. I'm looking forward to writing the next chapter. The slow parts are slow, yes, but they are important in setting everything up and therefore can't just be skipped unfortunately.
> 
> In other news, I literally just submitted my grad school application and sent out my recommendation letter requests tonight. The deadline for te application and possibly the rec letters for the university is January 1 but the deadline for the individual college is February 1. So confusing... Cross your fingers and hope I get in, otherwise I'm screwed and have to work multiple jobs starting this summer after I graduate this Spring.
> 
> Lastly, the Japanese obsession with Kentucky Fried Chicken is adorably weird

Shaadi blinked dimly when he and Ishizu materialized in the park. Ishizu looked around, wincing as the cool rain fell on her dampening her simple dress and hair. She glanced at her companion with a questioning brow and Shaadi shrugged self-consciously.

"It was the only place I could remember visiting that did not have people everywhere," he said.

Ishizu nodded understandingly and reached out with her Shadows. They flowed across the city like the steady current of the Nile, rippling and rustling. She finally brushed Seth's Shadows and felt him respond, grasping her Shadows with his own. Ishizu took Shaadi's hand and together they vanished, Traveling through the Shadows. They reappeared in the common area of a hotel suite.

Seth stood from one of the two chairs and watched them, face calm and serious. Ishizu smiled, cupped his face between her hands, and touched their foreheads together. "Seth," she murmured. "It is good to see you. I am glad you're well."

"I believe that is thanks to you and the thorough actions of our friends," Seth replied glancing at Oliver and Diggle who also stood when Ishizu and Shaadi arrived. Helios remained seated where he was.

Oliver extending his hand and introduced himself, "Oliver Queen. We met in Court a couple times but never in person."

"Yes," the Priestess said taking the offered hand. "I remember." Her gaze slid curiously to the dark man standing beside the vigilante. "And this would be?"

"My friend and associate John Diggle," Oliver said, gesturing to his companion. "We sometimes double team as Arrow when need be."

"I see," Ishizu said extending her hand.

Diggle smiled and shook her hand. "Pleasure to meet you Miss...?"

"Ishizu Ishtar, Priestess of the Triad of the Balance," she replied.

Oliver flushed. "Sorry," he said. "I should have introduced you."

"It is well," the woman said calmly. "We are perfectly capable of doing so ourselves." Oliver smiled in relief. "I believe you already know Shaadi," she said to Diggle, gesturing to her companion.

The Egyptian man kept his hands folded in his sleeves as he bowed respectfully in greeting. "We meet again," he said. "Hopefully, this time will not bring as much... adventure as last time."

"We can only hope," Oliver said.

Shaadi turned to where Helios sat silently on the couch close to Mokuba who was still curled in the corner of the sectional asleep. He nodded to the Titan who nodded back. Mokuba did not stir from where he had chosen to nap.

"Where is the Regent?" Shaadi asked noticing the Isono cousins standing inconspicuously nearby but no sign of Kaiba.

"Sleeping," Seth said. "He never rests well on airplanes and... he pulled a great many extra hours at work in order to take a vacation to come here for the week."

"It is urgent that we speak with him," Ishizu said. She narrowed her eyes and stepped close to Seth. "I know you are ill," she said softly. "I believe I may know why."

Seth blinked in surprise. "Then I will wake him," he said and vanished like mist on the wind.

No more than a minute later, Kaiba burst through the bedroom door looking every bit like he had been sleeping deeply just seconds ago. His hair was flopped every which way and his clothes were rumpled. His trench coat was nowhere to be seen. All in all, he looked like a typical, harried twenty-year-old.

"I told him to wake me up," he muttered in Japanese just loud enough for Oliver to pick up.

"We only just arrived," Ishizu said, attempting to sooth her Regent's ruffled temper.

Kaiba sighed and ran a hand through his hair, patting it down as best he could. "What did I miss?" he asked in English.

"Nothing," Helios said. "Just introductions."

Kaiba nodded. "So," he said turning to Ishizu in an attempt to recover his control. "I heard you had something to tell me."

Ishizu's eyes darkened, dropping as she nodded. For a moment, she said nothing. Then she drew herself up, only to bow deeply. The Regent's eyes widened in surprise but he waited for her to speak.

"I humbly beg your forgiveness for an oversight of my clan," she said.

"What kind of oversight?" he asked, confused.

"It was my clan's duty to guard and protect the tombs of Pharaoh Atem and his Shadow Court," she explained. "You know this. But what you do not know is that due to waning numbers and resources, my people were forced to withdraw our watch to only Atem's tomb leaving the others largely unprotected."

The Regent nodded slowly. "While you're right, I didn't know, I did suspect as much. Why are you apologizing for that?"

"Because," she said, "one of the tombs we were forced to abandon was that of your former incarnation, Set." Kaiba stiffened. "It was close enough to Atem's tomb to keep watch over from a distance, but that was all. I only just learned that a small group of archaeologists have begun excavating it."

"What?" Helios exclaimed, standing quickly. "They've found it?"

"I fear so," Shaadi said, eyes downcast. "The tomb is protected by Spells and Traps but it has been millennia since they were first cast and time has worn some away. We have done what we can to at least delay the progress of the excavation for now, but I doubt it will be halted entirely."

Oliver and Diggle looked at each other, distinctly disturbed by the news. When they turned to Kaiba, they were surprised to find his face expressionless. He appeared aloof and detached, blue eyes only vaguely focused on the scene before him. Then he blinked and life returned to his face. He sighed and hauled Ishizu upright.

"Don't bow to me," he said. "It's weird." Just like that, the tension eased. It was still plainly obvious the news bothered the Regent, but ever the scientist, he chose to study it instead of drown in it. "I suppose the... fits Seth and I have been experiencing are due to what's happening there."

"Yes," Shaadi said. "Ishizu witnessed such an attack during her vision. She used your own words, spoken in her vision, to discover the possible cause."

Kaiba stuffed his hands in his pockets. "I assume I said this before I was shot."

Ishizu nodded. "Yes."

"What about the sniper?" he asked, sitting comfortably in one of the two chairs facing the sectional. He gestured for the group to sit as well. "Do you know anything about him?"

Ishizu shook her head reluctantly. "Nothing personal, no. I do know whoever it was had perfect aim and was likely only after you."

"What makes you say that?" Kaiba asked, steepling his fingers thoughtfully.

"He shot you through the forehead from a great distance and although he had plenty of time and opportunity to do so, he did not shoot Mokuba."

"Corporate espionage to the extreme?" Oliver suggested.

"I doubt it," Shaadi said. "Most businesses prefer to ruin their competitors financially, not kill them outright."

"Make your life a living hell instead of ending your life," Diggle muttered. "What a twisted world."

"It is preferable," Kaiba said. "I admit, watching someone you despise fall from the height they once occupied, drown in growing debt and despair, and most of the time commit suicide is much more entertaining and fulfilling then killing them yourself. It's also perfectly legal and I don't have to get my hands dirty."

Diggle studied Kaiba carefully as did Oliver. "I'm really hoping you aren't speaking from experience," the dark man said.

The Japanese businessman shrugged. "Hope all you want," he said. "It won't change the truth."

"Was it Gozaboro?" Oliver ventured. Kaiba's eyes darted to the vigilante's sharply before flickering away. Oliver saw that for what it was and wisely let Diggle change the subject.

"So we know the sniper is after you," Diggle said, "but what about the bomber?"

"I've already told my kohai that I refuse to cancel the event," Kaiba said firmly, casting his eyes to his little brother on the couch who was just beginning to stir. "I promised Mokuba I would see this through and I don't make promises lightly. Which brings to mind," he turned to Oliver, "will Green Lantern be able to attend? I still have unfinished business with him."

"I can ask," Oliver said. "I meant to bring him to your farewell party last year but... He was..."

"Busy," Ishizu finished startling the original speaker. "Getting used to dealing with two lives."

"I assume," he said after a moment, "we spoke about this in your vision."

"Yes," she said. "I am curious as to what unfinished business you have with him," she said turning to Kaiba.

Blue eyes avoided her gaze and stared out the windows to the nighttime cityscape. "It's personal," he muttered. "How is Carter Hall? I haven't heard anything from him since the Shadow Thief incident."

"He's fine," Oliver said. "Better than fine actually. You won't believe this, but I heard he was considering joining the Justice League."

Kaiba blinked and stared at Oliver in disbelief. "Why on earth would he do that?" he demanded.

Oliver shrugged. "He's still got a thing for Shayera," he said. Kaiba shook his head and Oliver smiled sympathetically. "If it means anything, he's grateful to you for freeing him. He built his own wings using Nth metal," -Kaiba, the two members of his Triad, and Helios flinched in disgust- "and now goes by the alias Hawkman when he isn't busy living a civilian life."

"Hawkman?" Shaadi parroted mildly. "How...straightforward."

"I believe the term you're looking for is 'unsophisticated,'" Ishizu said.

"At least we'll know him by sight even if he wears a mask," Helios said drawing semi-polite chuckles from the group.

"Nii-sama?" a soft, sleepy voice called.

Kaiba immediately sobered and focused on Mokuba. The younger Kaiba sat up and stretched before looking around for his big brother. When he found him sitting in the chair across from him, he hopped off the couch and bounded around the coffee table to where Kaiba sat. Without warning, he hopped into his big brother's lap and hugged him. Kaiba did not flinch or seem even remotely surprised, he just held brother and let Mokuba do what he wanted.

"Nii-sama, I'm hungry," Mokuba said. "Can we get some food please?"

"I would not be adverse to a meal either," Shaadi said, his face slightly flushed in embarrassment. "I have not eaten in several hours and teleporting across the entire United States with a passenger was tiring to say the least."

"Is that a hint, Shaadi?" Kaiba said snidely.

"Would you like me to be blunt?" the Egyptian asked calmly.

Kaiba smirked. "I'd like to hear you try."

Shaadi hummed thoughtfully. "I'm hungry. We're eating. Mokuba is choosing and you are paying."

Ishizu was polite enough to hide her laughter behind her hand but Mokuba just laughed out loud. Oliver and Diggle chuckled as did Helios. It took a moment for Kaiba to come to terms with what had just happened, but when he did, he smirked proudly.

"Much better," he said. "Before we leave, though," he said, turning to his American guests as he stood from his chair, "I assume you have a plan to mitigate the potential damages at tomorrow's event?"

Oliver nodded, moving to stand as well. "I'm known for being fashionably late," he said. "Arrow will be there for the first couple hours or so until the bombs are found and deactivated. Then Diggle will take my place so I can make an appearance for the main event of groundbreaking. Diana will be there officially in full regalia the whole time and I'll try to get Green Lantern to come too, if I can." Kaiba nodded in thanks.

"J'onn will be searching for the bombs," Oliver added. "We figured he could use his shapeshifting and ability to change the density of his body to form a shield around the bomb in case we can't deactivate it or evacuate everyone in time. The police are also aware of the issue and plan to have several plain-clothesed men there."

"What about the second one?" Helios asked. "Ishizu did say she believed there were two bombs."

"Hopefully we'll deal with that one as well," Diggle said. "The plan is to evacuate everyone the moment we even find a hint of an actual bomb. You don't remember seeing a clock anywhere in your vision, do you? Anything indicating time?" he asked the Priestess.

Ishizu furrowed her brow in thought. "There was a chocolate fountain on the table by several coffee pots and a plate of strawberries. But other than that," she shook her head, "nothing."

"That gives us something," Diggle said. "We'll use the fountain as a makeshift timer. If it turns on and no one's found the bomb, I'll toss a few smoke bombs in there to help evacuate everyone in time. People tend to act faster with the right motivation."

Kaiba nodded. "That sounds fine to me." He glanced at Shaadi and Ishizu. "I want you both there as my guests. If anything happens, protect Mokuba," he ordered.

Both the Priestess and Adviser nodded solemnly.

"That goes for you too kohai, Diggle," Kaiba said, his sharp blue eyes settling on the two Americans. "If worse comes to worst, protect Mokuba. I'll be fine as long as he's safe."

"Nii-sama," Mokuba said, stepping away from his big brother to glare at him. "I can protect myself."

"I know you can," Kaiba said calmly in Japanese.

"But who will be protecting you?" Mokuba demanded.

"I will," the Titan replied seriously. "As will Seth. No human means can kill either of us," he said. "I can be used as a shield for a short while at least."

Kaiba was already shaking his head. "I want Ishizu with me. She knows her vision best and can identify anything she thinks may be important in real time so I can avoid them. I want you to guard Mokuba as well," he commanded Helios. "Shaadi can travel between our two groups should we be separated for any reason."

"As you say," Shaadi said and Helios nodded slowly.

"So, now that that's covered," Oliver said, rubbing his hands together and turning his gaze to the shortest member of their group. "Got any food preferences kiddo?"

Mokuba grinned and stared up at his big brother gleefully. Kaiba groaned. "No," Kaiba said firmly. "You had it before we left."

"But Nii-sama," Mokuba begged, drawing Kaiba suddenly hyper alert gaze to him.

Oliver and Diggle watched in amusement as Mokuba's eyes grew huge and watery and Kaiba, never one to back down from a fight, flinched, unable to tear his eyes away from his baby brother's crocodile tears. Ishizu smiled while Shaadi and Helios sighed. Kaiba stood frozen in place, not wanting to give in to his inevitable fate.

"Please?" Mokuba said softly in Japanese and Kaiba visibly wilted.

"Fine," he grumbled. "We'll have," he winced, "Kentucky Fried Chicken."

"Yay!" Mokuba cheered and ran to the hotel door followed by his defeated big brother.

"Don't worry about following us," Kaiba said to Fuguta and Roland who moved to take the lead. "Stay here. It'll be a long day tomorrow."

"Yes, Kaiba-sama," they said simultaneously.

"If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes..." Diggle muttered in astonishment as he fell into step next to Oliver.

Helios grinned as he walked with Shaadi and Ishizu in the rear. "The Isono cousins will do anything for Kaiba and his brother, but Mokuba is the only person the Regent will ever bow to," he said. His smile faded to its grim counterpart. "That's why he wants us to protect him. Kaiba can and will do anything to reach his brother. But should anything happen to Mokuba, if Mokuba should die..."

"Kaiba will follow," Ishizu said softly.

"Suicide?" Oliver asked quietly, eyes focused on Mokuba's excited rambling and Kaiba's tolerant listening.

"It will likely not be a conscious choice," Shaadi said. "But yes."

"That's how his previous incarnation died," Ishizu said. "He lost his reason for living and just...gave up."

The elevator doors opened and the brothers stepped inside. Kaiba looked back over his shoulder with a mildly annoyed expression. "Are you coming or will you be taking the next elevator?"

"Then let's make sure his reason stays where it belongs," Oliver said softly. "I was trying to flirt," he said louder with a dramatic wave at his Regent. "She's a lovely woman."

Kaiba snorted but smiled all the same. "She's also taken."

"Is that so?" Oliver said, turning around to Ishizu. He glanced at Shaadi's faintly blushing face and winked. "Good luck," he said, elbowing the stoic Egyptian teasingly.

Shaadi's eyes grew round and his flush deepened. Fortunately, Kaiba had no desire to wait any longer and hooked his fingers in Oliver's shirt collar and tugged. "Get in," he commanded. "Unless you don't plan on eating."


	5. Pride Comes Before the Fall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which pride allowed the mess to continue, was conquered briefly, then resulted in tragedy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** Action! Um...sorry not sorry. *hides*

_:There certainly are a lot of people here,:_ Seth said, following behind Kaiba in his spirit form which was invisible and intangible to everyone but the Regent.

Kaiba did not bother responding mentally or verbally, his discomfort was clear enough to Seth. The only redeeming factor about the number of people present was the children. There were children everywhere which was why he had allowed Mokuba to dress casually. He did not want his little brother to stand out. He and Mokuba were orphans too, after all.

He had allowed himself to relax enough to speak politely to the investors and guests who had come to visit. All the proceeds of this event were going towards the orphanage KaibaCorp and Queen Industries were building and all the venders had volunteered their food and services. The official ground breaking ceremony would happen at one in the afternoon at the construction site nearby. Immediately after Kaiba and Oliver dug the first hole, the construction workers would step in and begin building. After that, everyone was free to go and do as they wished. Kaiba had planned on retreating to the _Java Script_ cafè for a much needed coffee with Mokuba, but now it all depended on what happened before then.

Ishizu shifted restlessly beside him but made no other movement. She had helped the police find the first bomb which had been hidden under one of the tables. It was a homemade device that was designed to cause more fire and heat than shrapnel damage. It had been safely deactivated and removed before anyone was allowed inside the conference center ballroom.

Kaiba's lips twitched at the theme. He had to admit, Oliver knew how to tease him. The ballroom's formal name was the Egyptian Ballroom and was appropriately Egyptian themed. The walls were painted a textured cream with traditionally painted reeds and papyrus plants waving in an artistically rendered breeze. Several columns half embedded in the walls added to the illusion that the room was actually an outdoor pavilion. The ceiling was painted a deep blue reminiscent of the Egyptian sky at midday. It brought back memories that Kaiba both enjoyed and preferred to forget.

He glanced longingly out the open windowed doors to the balcony where several guests were standing enjoying the view. He badly wanted to join them, to leave the stuffy, human filled room just for a couple of minutes. But one glance at Ishizu's sharp gaze and he gave up the idea.

Arrow was leaning against one of the many columns in the wall observing the crowd. Diana, wearing her distinctive swimsuit-esque outfit with her lasso at her hip, was talking to a group of children who were enthralled by her, particularly the girls. It took Kaiba a moment to reach out with his Shadows to find J'onn. The telepath had taken on the form of a black man with a stern expression and curious eyes. Kaiba had been careful not to touch the Martian's mind, aware of the painful reaction that would most likely result.

Shaadi was with Helios following Mokuba around. Mokuba and Helios were talking animatedly while Shaadi listened quietly. It fascinated Kaiba how quickly Mokuba had befriended the Greek Titan. The Regent placed most of the blame for Helios's growing boldness on his little brother. Mokuba had a way of bringing out characteristics in people Kaiba could not. It was something Kaiba respected as both a CEO and a big brother.

"They're putting up the fountain," Ishizu murmured.

Kaiba glanced over his shoulder and noticed the servers were indeed setting up the chocolate fountain. That meant they were running out of time. He reached out and tugged Arrow's Shadows, receiving an answering tug. Shaadi tangled his own Shadows with Kaiba's and Arrow's indicating he was also aware of the situation and asking what he should do.

 _:I can go outside,:_ Seth offered. _:It will throw off the shooter. The gunshot should scare everyone out of the building.:_

 _:It would,:_ Kaiba admited. _:But how would I explain being in two places at once?:_

_:Use the restroom?:_

Kaiba snorted drawing a confused look from his Priestess. He cleared his throat and muttered, "Seth," under his breath.

Ishizu nodded with a sly smile. "Should I leave you two alone?" she asked sarcastically.

"Actually," Kaiba said, "yes." At her confused and slightly offended gaze, he elaborated in soft Japanese. "I'm going to make myself scarce. Seth wants to go on the balcony and draw the sniper's fire."

"But if he's shot-"

"He won't be," Kaiba said firmly. "And even if he is, it won't kill him. He'll just return to me. The shot should attract enough attention to encourage the people to leave without causing too much panic."

"What about the plan with the smoke bombs?" Ishizu asked, eyeing her Regent critically. "I thought you agreed to abide by that plan."

Kaiba shrugged. "I did. But how many people do you know react in a calm and orderly manner when faced with something like that?"

"How many people do you know react in a calm and orderly manner when faced with a gunshot?" she countered.

"Not many," he admitted reluctantly. "But it would be less chaotic than a bomb threat." Ishizu nodded slowly but was still not entirely convinced. Finally Kaiba sighed. "I want to see where the sniper could be hiding. It's likely he'll leave if he thinks I'm dead and not start shooting anyone else he comes across. Also, I want him caught not dead. I want to know who's behind this. In order to do that, I need to know where he is."

"The police are doing that."

Kaiba shook his head. "They are _ready_ to do it, they aren't _actually_ doing it. I doubt they would start scouring buildings for sniper sight-lines on a tip, even if it was from Arrow. The only reason they looked for the bomb was because you ' _found_ ' it."

Ishizu opened her mouth to speak when she noticed something over Kaiba's shoulder. Curious, Kaiba turned and saw none other than Green Lantern walk into the room. The tall man was greeting by a warm hug from Diana and a nod from Arrow.

"Are you going to talk with him?" Ishizu asked softly.

"Yes," Kaiba said. "In private. Seth can do some wandering as my replacement while I'm gone."

Without waiting for his Priestess's expected argument, Kaiba walked towards the metahuman. Metahuman, such a strange word. English really was a confusing language.

"Lantern," he called, drawing the dark superhero's attention.

"Kaiba," he said, holding out his hand. "Nice to see you again."

"I could say the same," Kaiba replied in English, taking Lantern's hand firmly. He did not smile but he did nod politely. "Could I have a word with you in private?"

"Am I in trouble?" the man joked semi-seriously.

"Not at all," Kaiba said, turning to guide the man to a side room. "There is just something I need to finish and I would rather no one saw us."

He waited to close the door behind them until he felt Seth appear next to him in spirit form and slip out back into the room, taking a physical form almost identical to Kaiba as he did so. Now Kaiba could be aware of what went on both outside this room as well as speak to Green Lantern. It was something he was still getting used to, being in two places at once, but he was enjoying the learning process. So long as people kept their hands off of Seth. He still did not like other people touching his Ba, especially since the feeling bounced back to himself.

"Alright, I'm curious," Lantern said, breaking the silence. "What did you want to talk about?"

Kaiba braced himself. There was a reason he had been careful not to mention this to Ishizu, Shaadi, Oliver, or even Mokuba. It was embarrassing and humiliating but necessary. He had put it off this long, no point waiting any longer. He planted both of his hands on his sides, straightened his body, and bowed deeply.

"I apologize," he said simply.

Lantern stepped back in surprise raising his hands to ward off Kaiba's bow. "Woah, woah, apologize? What? You don't need to apologize for anything. Don't bow either. It's disconcerting."

"It's traditional," Kaiba said, mildly annoyed. "And yes, I do need to apologize. I made you a promise the first time we met that I failed to keep."

Lantern shifted, obviously trying to remember what the young CEO was referring to and failing. "I honestly have no idea what you're talking about," he said seriously. "What promise?"

Kaiba straightened and crossed his arms with a frustrated huff. "Remember when we first met on the Watchtower last year? After the incident with the Priest, Marik?"

"Yes, I remember," the superhero said, nodding slowly.

"I promised you would stand as a witness in Marik's Judgment Game, but it never happened." Kaiba took a steadying breath. "I wanted to get this over with before I left last year, but I suppose now will do." He felt his Shadows swirl around him as he obediently knelt on one knee, crossing his arms over his chest so his fingers touched his shoulders. "I broke an oath I swore to you that, although not witnessed and bound by the Shadows, was still a promise I failed to keep. For that I apologize and ask your forgiveness. Should you wish to cast a Penalty Game, you have but to name it. The Shadows will decide what is fair."

Green Lantern stood staring at the Regent of the Shadow Realm and Earthbound Shadow Kingdom in astonishment. He knew Kaiba was a proud young man so this must be incredibly humiliating for him to endure. Also, it was over nothing serious, not to Green Lantern at least.

"I..."

What was he supposed to say? What did anyone say in a situation like this? It was not like proud, powerful men such as Seto Kaiba knelt before you submissively on a daily basis. This had not been in the Justice League handbook. He ran his ringed hand over his face and waved Kaiba back up. Unfortunately, Kaiba's head was bowed and the sharp blue eyes were closed so Lantern was forced to grab the Regent's arm and bodily drag the young man back to his feet.

He gripped both of Kaiba's shoulders firmly with his hands and said, "Look, son. I don't want anyone bowing to me. We're equals. Yes, you made a promise. Yes, you broke it, but it wasn't on purpose. _I_ know that and _you_ know that." He released his hold on the surprised youth and crossed his arms. "Now, you're taking this seriously, much more seriously than I would've imagined. I don't even remember this. You had to remind me. I consider what happened to Marik in the Pharaoh's Judgment Game payback in full. You don't need a Penalty Game."

"I still made a promise I failed to keep," Kaiba countered sternly. "I don't take broken promises lightly."

"Neither do I," Lantern said sternly. "But I also know when to accept the fact that sometimes life decides to kick us in the ass and screw up our plans. You made a promise you had every intention of keeping. The Pharaoh didn't know about your promise and cast the Penalty Game while you were resting. Marik's Penalty was good enough for me. I don't hold anything against you." He held up a hand to stop the Japanese youth from interrupting him. "If you _insist_ on me punishing you for that slip-up, then consider everything that happened after that with Akhenadin," Kaiba winced, "as payback enough."

Kaiba processed this information. His Shadows retreated, glad they no longer had to cast a Penalty Game on their Regent, but wanting to be absolutely sure. They did not punish the same person for the same crime twice.

"Are you sure?" the Regent asked.

"I'm sure, son," Lantern said. "All's forgiven and, frankly, forgotten. Until you brought it up, that is." He extended his hand. "So, how 'bout we shake on it and let bygones be bygones."

Kaiba stared at the open hand for several seconds before taking it. He heaved a sigh of relief before his eyes lifted to Lantern's glowing green warningly. "If you tell anyone I bowed to you-"

"I'm sorry," Lantern interrupted. "I seem to have blanked out there for a second. Did you say you wanted coffee? So do I. Why don't we go get some?"

Kaiba paused before smirking. "I could do with some coffee. Hopefully they've replaced the pots with fresh batches by now."

"Let's hope so," Lantern said.

The superhero moved to the door. Just as his hand touched the doorknob, Kaiba flinched as a phantom pain burned his head. Both he and Seth cried out as his other half immediately returned to his soul room. Cries drifted through the closed door accompanied by the sound of running feet.

"Kaiba," Lantern called. "Kaiba!"

Kaiba shook his head, feeling dizzy as the phantom pain continued to pulse right between his eyes. _:Seth?:_ he called mentally. _:What happened?:_

 _:He shot me!:_ Seth snapped. _:Right in the head.:_

 _:The sniper,:_ Kaiba realized. _:Did anyone find the second-:_

**BOOM!**

"-bomb," he whispered, eyes wide.

Lantern swung open the door and was met by the sight of people rushing madly out of the ballroom. Kaiba pushed past the hero as the man took flight and began scanning to room with both his eyes and his Shadows. Ishizu was next to Shaadi, clutching her side. It was painful but not serious. Shaadi had a gash on his forehead, again painful but not serious.

J'onn had shifted to his more well known form and had joined Diana and Green Lantern with the rescue efforts. The second bomb had been destructive but focused on destabilizing the far side of the room near the balcony. The balcony.

Kaiba yanked his Shadows away from Shaadi and Ishizu to focus on the balcony and was horrified to feel both Mokuba and Arrow there. He raced through the smoke and debris to the jagged edge of the room where the glass doors had been and fell to his hands and knees. The balcony had fractured so half of it was dangling dangerously over the ground far below. But it was not the structure that caught his eye, it was the sight of his precious baby brother clinging to a crack just far enough away to be out of reach.

Kaiba examined the balcony for a split second before crawling out across the expanse. He reached for Mokuba's hand only to flinch back when something pinged the stone between his fingers. A bullet. Kaiba snarled. He would be damned if he let a mere bullet keep him from his brother.

"Mokuba!" he called.

"Nii-sama!" Mokuba cried. He held out his hand, fingers stretched out so they brushed Kaiba's hand. Then the balcony jolted, dropping several feet and dislodging the two brothers from their precariously balanced positions. They would have tumbled into the air had Kaiba not managed to grab Mokuba's hand and a jagged piece of metal that had once been part of the railing.

He would _not_ loose his brother. He would die first.

"Mokuba," he called in Japanese. "Just look at me. Listen to me. Don't let go of my hand, no matter what. Do you understand?"

Mokuba nodded, tightening his grip as determination lit up his eyes beginning to drown out his fear. "I trust you, Seto."

Kaiba smiled at his given name and turned his head to see if there were any handholds or places where he could brace himself firmly enough to pull them up to better position. Suddenly, his vision was filled with black and green, the vigilante.

"Kaiba," Arrow called. Kaiba looked up to see the vigilante dangling from his bow on a cable he had fired into the wall further up the building. His booted feet were braced against the broken balcony so he could repel down to where Kaiba was precariously hanging. Arrow reached out his hand and grabbed the Regent's arm. "I got you. Helios," he called over Kaiba's shoulder, "make sure Mokuba gets out okay."

Helios must have nodded because there was no verbal response. Kaiba freed the hand clinging to the metal bar and grabbed the vigilante's arm. Arrow pressed a button and the cable began reeling the three passengers up the damaged balcony.

Kaiba returned his focus to Mokuba. Helios had somehow been able to climb down the jagged stone and brace himself between a crack in the balcony and the remains of the twisted metal railing so he could help keep Mokuba away from any jagged edges as best he could. Things were beginning to look up, so naturally that was when everything fell apart, literally.

The destroyed balcony jolted downward again, forcing Arrow to kick away from the stone so he would not loose his footing and fall. Kaiba, still clinging to the vigilante's arm, swung out with Arrow's movement using the chance to haul his body higher. Mokuba freed one of his hands and reached for his big brother's wrist hoping to get a more firm grip. But then Kaiba cried out as a tearing sensation ripped through his right shoulder causing his grip on Mokuba's hand slip.

It was just a little slip, but it was enough for Mokuba to slide through his weakened fingers and fall. Kaiba watched in horror as Helios leapt out to catch Mokuba, managing to catch his brother's vest only for the piece of stone he had been braced on to give way. Helios yanked Mokuba close, wrapping his body protectively around the small boy as they fell, hoping to take the brunt of the damage knowing he would survive. He yelled something unintelligible, drowned out by Mokuba's terrified screams.

Never in his life had Kaiba Seto ever seen his brother in such intense, painful detail before. Dark gray eyes, wide with terror, stared up at Kaiba. Tears of fear lined the lids and dark eyelashes. One small hand remained free of Helios's protective body and was reaching up to Kaiba, pleading with him to save them. But Kaiba could do nothing but watch as Mokuba plummeted to the ground.

"Nii-sama!"

Then, without warning, they vanished without a trace. One minute they were there, falling, Mokuba screaming, crying, terrified, betrayed. The next they were just...gone as if they had never been there. Mokuba's silenced cries echoed eerily in the burning air filling Kaiba with a sinking despair he had not known for a long time.

_"Mokuba!"_


	6. Mourning and Geometry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Kaiba mourns a loss and Arrow thinks three dimensional geometry might be the answer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** This is a bit shorter than I meant for it to be but I got sick and...yeah... I hope you enjoy it though. I love writing about the Shadows. It's so much fun.

Arrow could barely believe his eyes. One minute Mokuba had been hanging from Kaiba's hand, the next he had been falling to the ground with Helios holding him protectively, and now they were gone. There were no tell-tale bodies broken on the rubble below, nothing. They were just gone.

Worse, Kaiba was not taking it very well at all. He was screaming for his brother and struggling to free himself from Arrow's vice-like grip. The vigilante had a firm hold on his Regent and the cable preventing them from falling but neither hold could last forever especially under the strain Kaiba was putting them under.

"Lantern!" Arrow called out. "Lantern!"

"On it," came the reply from just above the vigilante's head.

The next thing Arrow knew, the weight from Kaiba's struggling body was relieved and his own feet rested on the base of a sphere made of solid green light. Unfortunately, the moment Kaiba touched the solid green light, he threw himself bodily against the sides, pounded it and kicked it screaming the whole time. Arrow had no choice but to wrap his arms around the frantic Regent, pinning Kaiba's long arms to his sides, to prevent his friend from hurting himself further.

"Stop!" Arrow commanded, trying his best to hold on to his struggling friend. "Stop! Kaiba. Kaiba, _stop!_ "

The young man refused to listen. "Mokuba!" he screamed followed by a rush of unintelligible Japanese. Mokuba's name was tangled in the jumbled mess of foreign words both Japanese and not and desperate struggles. Even with his understanding of Japanese, Arrow could not understand the frantic mishmash of syllables.

Instead, the vigilante just held on and waited until Kaiba was forced to calm down enough to catch his breath. He saw J'onn fly off in the direction the bullets fired at the Regent had come from and the vigilante sincerely hoped the Manhunter found the culprit. But Arrow's thoughts were halted abruptly when he noticed Kaiba was beginning to slip free from his grip. The captive Regent managed to shift just enough for the vigilante's fingers to dig into the bullet wound in his right shoulder.

Kaiba gave a horse cry of shocked pain and tensed up allowing the vigilante to force him to his knees and hold him there until Green Lantern could lower both of them down to the ground below. The instant the green light shielding them vanished, Kaiba broke free of Arrow's loosened grip and rushed to the debris pile, digging through the rubble and calling for his little brother by name. It was heartbreaking but it had to stop. Kaiba was wounded and bleeding and if he was not treated soon, he could lose the use of his arm partially or entirely or worse, bleed out and die.

Arrow scrambled to his feet and began to run after Kaiba when a flurry of cream fabric and black hair cut him off and surrounded the Regent. He stopped and stood back watching as Ishizu wrapped her arms around her Regent and held him, speaking quickly in accented Japanese sprinkled with what sounded like Arabic and hieratic. Slowly, slowly, she was able to calm him down enough to grab his head and pull him to her chest where she held him gently but firmly.

Kaiba fell to his knees, shaking and sobbing, still calling his little brother's name. Ishizu knelt by his side, adjusting her grip so Kaiba's head rested against her breast. Her fingers tangled in his soft brown hair, petting him gently as she pressed her lips to his scalp. She continued whispering soothing words in a mixture of languages while Kaiba clung to her and wept.

Several cameras began snapping photographs and it annoyed the hell out of Arrow. "Diana!" he called, gaining the Amazon's attention. "Get them out of here now," he commanded, pointing to the onlookers.

Normally, the princess would have resisted being commanded by a man, but in this case she wholeheartedly agreed with the vigilante's sentiment. She drew her lasso and lashed out, snapping one of the cameras out of a young girl's hand.

"Get out of here," she yelled. "Call the police if you're going to use your phones."

"Or better yet," Green Lantern said, activating his ring and creating a wall of solid green light, "back off." The wall moved, forcing the people behind it to stumble back to a decent distance and held there, prevented from moving forward.

"Thanks," Arrow said. "Hold it there."

"No problem."

Arrow turned back to Ishizu and Kaiba, unsure of what to do.

"Leave them," Shaadi said, coming up beside the vigilante. "She was the only one other than Seth who survived the massacre of the original Shadow Court over 5,000 years ago. If anyone can calm him, it is Ishizu."

Comforted by Shaadi's advice, Arrow stepped back. "Let me know if anything happens," he said to the Advisor who nodded calmly. Turning away, the vigilante began helping Wonder Woman and the survivors. "How many casualties?" he asked the Amazon Princess.

"No dead, seven injured, two seriously," she glanced at Kaiba and Ishizu, "and two missing." She looked around, furrowing her brow. "The ambulances just arrived and are loading the two seriously injured people away."

"Are they children?" Arrow asked hesitantly.

Wonder Woman shook her head and Arrow heaved a heavy sigh of relief. "Elderly. It's two adults, one man, one woman. They were standing closest to the explosive device. They should recover. The injuries are mostly burns and scrapes. My guess is, the bomber knew the building well or was at least familiar enough with it to place the device at one of the joints holding the balcony up. When it blew, the balcony went with it."

"So it was strategic but not necessarily meant to take lives," Arrow said.

"That would be my guess. It could be a strike at the event itself or the hotel or a specific person at the event," she said glancing at Kaiba significantly.

Arrow was already shaking his head. "Ishizu said the sniper and the bomber were two different perpetrators."

"Maybe they were," Dian admitted. Sky blue eyes met his sternly. "But maybe they were two different perpetrators working together for the same goal."

The vigilante winced. "I was afraid you'd say that," he said softly. He turned back to where Kaiba and Ishizu still sat. Kaiba seemed to have recovered enough that he was no longer sobbing into the Priestess's chest. Instead, he and Ishizu were kneeling with their foreheads resting against one another. Ishizu was speaking softly and Kaiba was nodding slowly, hesitantly in acknowledgment of her words. Shaadi had also approached and placed one hand on either of their shoulders.

There was a tug on Arrow's Shadows and he opened his Shadow sight to see what was happening more clearly. The horizon of power that was Seto Kaiba pulsed like a heartbeat. Shaadi stood next to him, his misty Shadows hovering, floating across the fields like smokey wisps. Ishizu knelt by Kaiba's side, cradling his head gently, lips pressed to his hairline. Her Shadows ebbed and flowed, piercing through the fields like a rushing river, lapping softly at their feet, disturbing Shaadi's misty Shadows.

Together, they painted a melancholy picture. It felt calm and...balancing. Arrow never even noticed when his own Shadows began to weave with the others'. Kaiba's head lifted and turned towards the vigilante, crystalline blue eyes gleaming eerily in the brilliant darkness just like they had when they first met face to shadow. Kaiba's form split in two, the second form standing above the Regent.

Seth.

Ishizu and Shaadi also turned to face Arrow, their eyes gleaming deep tanzanite and amber as if lit from behind within their dark, shadowed faces. No one said anything, but Seth held out his hand in a silent gesture of welcome and Arrow felt his feet begin moving forward without his conscious thought.

He felt grass, reeds, and swirls of sand swish across his boots. The misty fog parted before him like a veil and the Shadowy river burbled in his ears. The soft sounds were loud in the otherwise almost complete silence. It was a strangely peaceful, powerful feeling that filled this place...un-place...

Arrow's eyes roved, meeting each of the other Shadow users' before finally settling on Kaiba. He knelt so he could be even with his Regent. No words were said, none were needed. Kaiba touched his Shadows with his own, drawing them into the mesh of Shadows already present. It was calming.

They were reaching, seeking, searching for something...someone...

Mokuba.

 _:He's alive?:_ he gasped.

Kaiba's sapphire eyes gleamed with renewed hope as Seth knelt to join them followed closely by Shaadi. Seth's eyes, just a shade or so lighter than Kaiba's, sparkled as his Shadows merged with Kaiba's, weaving in such a way as to almost be indistinguishable from his Ka's. Kaiba and Seth began reaching, Ishizu smoothing the way, finding the weaknesses in the fabric of the Shadows and spilling through. Shaadi filled the Shadows, brushing everything, slipping through every nook and cranny. Seth and Kaiba flew through the misty, watery Shadows.

Arrow caught a hold of Kaiba's Shadows and was swept away into the search. He felt a faint twinge as he reached his distance limit, then it was gone. He blinked and realized he had somehow accidentally hitchhiked onto Seth's Shadows. He felt Seth's momentary surprise coupled with Kaiba's followed quickly by pride. They surrounded him, keeping him with them and guiding him. He felt like a leaf on the gust front of a powerful thunderstorm. The dawn-dusk of Kaiba's horizon pulsed like rumbles of thunder.

The vigilante focused on watching the places around them as they searched. He looked for the familiar grounding roots he associated with Mokuba's Shadows. For some strange reason, he kept getting glimpses of them, hints, whispers, but nothing solid. He had no idea where they were or how far they had traveled but he felt like they never got closer or farther away.

Why? Why was this?

Distance did not work like that. _Space_ did not work like that. He felt like they were running parallel to Mokuba. It was maddening.

Parallel.

Distance.

Space.

...What if they were looking at this the wrong way?

He slowed down, dragging Seth and Kaiba back. He felt Kaiba's annoyance tempered by Seth's cautious curiosity. Ishizu and Shaadi slowed as well but did not stop reaching out in their search. Ishizu's river of Shadows created an eddy of slow moving water under Arrow so he was standing on the Shadow water. The water in the eddy swirled almost curiously beneath the vigilante's feet and Shaadi's mist slithered up Arrow's crouched from. Kaiba tugged against Arrow's Shadows, trying to break free of the inadvertent hitchhiker but Seth held him back, studying the vigilante closely.

This was a hunt. Mokuba was the prey and Arrow, Kaiba, Seth, Ishizu, and Shaadi were the hunters. Space had no reason here which meant distance did not work the same way it did in reality. If that was true, then what about the other planes? Arrow and his fellow Shadow users were searching for Mokuba on an imagined X-Y axis grid when they should probably be using an X-Y-Z axis grid. _Length, width_ , Arrow looked down below his feet, _and depth_.

Without thinking, Arrow dove into Ishizu's Shadow water. He felt her surprise but ignored it, continuing on. The water was dark but gleamed a deep tanzanite mingled with sapphire. It was just enough to barely see by. He swam down, not knowing where he was going, just that he had to try to get _there_.

Down.

His chest began to ache.

He was not holding his breath. He breathed in the Shadow water.

Another stroke, deeper, there was something... just there...  _roots_... He propelled himself downward with another stroke of his hands. Closer. A kick, two, three.

A root.

He grabbed it and pulled...

But coughed and instantly came back to reality and the bright, cloudy light of Starling City surrounded by rubble, dust, the faintest hint of drizzle, the Shadow users, his companions from the Justice League, and a dizzying, headache-inducing disorientation. He staggered, lost his balance, and fell back onto his bottom dropping his head between his bent legs, hoping to ease the dizziness. A hand rested on his shoulder, shaking him. It took him a minute for his senses to adjust to the sudden change and for Arrow to realize he was being spoken to.

"Arrow. Arrow!" Wonder Woman called.

"Easy, my friend," Shaadi was saying.

"Kohai."

Arrow's eyes flew open, pinning Kaiba with them. "We're going about this wrong," he said quickly. "We need to go down."

"Down?" J'onn's voice asked. "What do you mean down?"

Arrow did not break away his gaze from Kaiba's. "You were looking across this plane using length and width. We need to use depth."

"That's why you dove into my depths," Ishizu whispered, her dark eyes wide.

"Do you have any idea how wrong that sounded?" Green Lantern said raising a sardonic eyebrow at the Priestess.

"You mean we need to think in three dimensions," Kaiba said, speaking for the first time.

Arrow nodded, clutching his head when the faint nausea returned. He spoke again when he recovered. "Think about it," he said. "It felt like we weren't getting closer or farther away from him. It felt like we were staying in one place. What if he hasn't moved? We just..." he paused and looked around him helplessly, "don't see him."

"Could he be in the Shadow Realm, perhaps?" Shaadi offered as an explanation but Kaiba shook his head.

"No, we would have found him if he was there," the Regent said.

"Who?" Wonder Woman asked.

"Or he would have found us," Ishizu said.

"He who?" Green Lantern asked.

"I saw his Shadows," Arrow insisted. "I almost caught them but I..." He threw up his hands in helpless frustration.

"Whose Shadows?" J'onn asked.

"So another world?" Kaiba said.

"World?" Green Lantern gasped.

"But how is that possible?" Shaadi breathed. "Neither of them should have the ability to travel between worlds."

"They?" Wonder Woman asked.

"But they do," Ishizu said. "We travel to the Shadow Realm all the time."

"And the Shadow Realm permeates all the multiverses you said," Arrow said, staring directly at Kaiba.

Blue eyes narrowed. "Other than the Shadow Realm, I've never traveled to another world willingly or otherwise. None of us have." He hesitated. "I don't necessarily know how."

"Why not do it like we almost did just now?" Arrow asked. "Only...say, while holding Court or while actually trying to go to the Shadow Realm?"

"If we hold Court," Shaadi said softly, eyes flickering to Kaiba and Ishizu, "then it could be possible. But you could not set aside your Decks. You would have to hold them the entire time and treat the Court like casting your consciousness into the Shadows in preparation for Shadow Travel."

"And then actually go to Court mentally, spiritually, _and_ physically," Ishizu said, eyes growing wide at the idea.

"It's worth a try," Arrow said.

Kaiba remained silent as his thoughts raced. His eyes dropped to the debris before lifting to stare at the decimated place the now destroyed stone and metal balcony once hung. His eyes returned to Arrow's carefully.

"I'll have to call Obelisk," he said. "In case things go wrong, he can help guide us, keep us from hurting each other or ourselves." Arrow nodded. "It would help if Mai was here," Kaiba sighed.

"Can you call her?" Arrow asked.

"Yes, but I need to inform Yugi and the Pharaoh first. If we're going to try something like this, they should be made aware and be ready for any fallout that might happen."

"Agreed," Shaadi said.

"We'll all need to rest before attempting this," Ishizu said firmly. "It would be best if we were all at our full strength, just in case." Everyone nodded.

"Good," a new voice said, startling everyone from their thoughts. Arrow whirled to where John Diggle stood nearby watching the eclectic group with his arms crossed. "Now that you've all come to a decision, mind filling in the peanut gallery?"

Arrow had the decency to flush. He glanced at his Shadow user comrades awkwardly before standing and brushing himself off. "We...may have found Mokuba."

"He is not dead then?" J'onn asked hopefully.

"No, he's alive," the vigilante said firmly.

J'onn's eyes softened and he smiled. "Good."

"I would know if he died," Kaiba said, standing as well. Ishizu and Shaadi joined him. "He's by brother, my Keeper, and a fellow Shadow user. I would feel his death."

"You certainly were acting like he was dead," Diggle commented.

Kaiba looked around at the site wearily. "He vanished. I... I could no longer feel him. I just watched him fall..."

"Helios is with him," Ishizu said gently, resting a hand on her Regent's arm. "He will keep Mokuba safe."

"Good," Diggle said relieved. "Do we know where Mokuba is now?"

"That's where it gets complicated," Arrow sighed.

"He's in another world," Diana said. "And you want to go there and find him."

Diggle's dark eyes widened in shock. "Oh, this just keep getting better and better."


	7. Plans and Attempting to Cope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which plans are made and Kaiba tries to deal with Mokuba's loss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** After this chapter, the stuff should start happening. Yush! I have so many ideas but I'm not sure what will work and what won't. It'll depend on where the characters go and what they decide to do.
> 
>  **FYI:** BOLO literally means "Be On the Look Out"
> 
> In other news, Alabama Crimson Tide lost to the Ohio State Buckeyes. ...wow... What a sad game.

"So let me get this straight," Diggle said. "Your brother," he said facing Kaiba, "fell from a balcony after a bomb hit it and instead of hitting the ground like gravity dictates, he vanished into thin air."

"With Helios," Oliver added.

"With an ancient Greek Titan," Diggle said. "And not only that, but he apparently fell into another dimension."

"Reality," Wonder Woman corrected. "A dimension is like a page in a book, connected but separate from the current world or reality. Another reality is entirely different book."

"Oh, well that just makes it all peachy," the part-time vigilante said exasperated. "You _do_ realize how ridiculous this all sounds?"

Oliver shifted uncomfortably. He had quickly changed out of his Arrow outfit and made an appearance at the bomb site as Oliver Queen long enough to be seen gawking at the destruction and speaking to Kaiba. Now he sat on the sectional in Kaiba's hotel room with Ishizu, Shaadi, Wonder Woman, J'onn, and Diggle discussing matters. Green Lantern had stayed behind to deal with the media frenzy and help the police with their investigation.

"We're aware," he said softly, glancing at Kaiba who was standing on the small Juliet balcony shirtless and brooding. The fresh bandages on the Regent's bullet wound were beginning to show specks of blood through the white. "But while it may seem fantastical," Oliver continued, turning to meet his best friend's eyes firmly, "it does mean Mokuba's alive. We just have to find him."

"It won't be easy," Shaadi said. "I am no astrophysicist, but even I am aware of the theory of multiverses."

"It's not a theory anymore," Wonder Woman said. "Trust me," she added, holding a hand up to stop questions. "Long story but I've seen it. It's not a theory."

"Fact then," Diggle said. "But that still leaves in question how in _hell_ you intend to get there, not to mention get back. And if there _are_ multiverses out there, then how will you even know which one Mokuba is in?"

"He could not have gone far," J'onn said calmly. "I highly doubt the furthest realities would be so easily accessed by him or us. Mokuba would most likely have to be in a reality somewhat close to ours."

"Why?" Diggle asked.

J'onn tilted his head contemplatively. "Because he must pass the realities closest to our own in order to reach those farther away."

"Like walking through a neighborhood, you mean?" Oliver said. "Traveling between realities is probably like walking on the sidewalk; you have to pass the houses closest to the point of origin, in this case our reality, in order to reach the one furthest from you."

"Only we do not know the address per say," Shaadi said.

Ishizu nodded. "We would be looking for a distinguishing characteristic unique to that specific house such as a colorful flag. In this case we would be looking for Mokuba's Shadows."

"They look like roots," Oliver said. "Big tree roots. You can't miss them."

"So you're going to go poking through the infinite number of alternate realities looking for huge tree roots," Diggle said. "That sounds absolutely insane."

Everyone shifted awkwardly.

"If it was Oliver," Kaiba said, speaking for the first time since returning to the hotel, "would you not do the same?"

Diggle sighed and shook his head in defeat. "I would. I definitely would," he said softly. "I'm not trying to discourage you. I just... I just want you to think before you act, that's all."

"I have," Kaiba said, turning around to face the people in his common room. Roland had joined Fuguta in shadowing Kaiba wherever he went. They watched him closely, never letting him out of their sight, waiting for a command. Kaiba was grateful for their comforting presence.

"Mokuba is my little brother and I won't leave him behind," he said, blue eyes glittering dangerously in the dimly lit room. "No one takes what's mine and gets away with it."

Diana crossed her legs comfortably. "What about Helios?" she asked.

"He should be with Mokuba," Oliver said to her. "He grabbed him when they fell."

"He's under my protection and therefore he's  _mine_ ," Kaiba said sternly. "I'll find his sorry white ass and drag him back here kicking and screaming if I have to."

"What if they were separated?" Ishizu asked carefully. "We have to consider that possibility."

"Then I'll find them both," the Regent insisted.

"How?" Shaadi asked. "We can track the Keeper's Shadows but we have no way to track Helios."

"We'll deal with that if and when we come to it," Kaiba said dismissively.

"He is right, though," Wonder Woman said, eyeing the Regent. "If they _are_ separated and you _know_ you have no definitive way of finding him-"

"He's _mine_!" Kaiba snapped. "I will find him. If anything, so I can give him a firm talking to for slipping my watch."

Ishizu politely covered her mouth to hide her smile. "Yes," she purred. "We all know how possessive you are of your belongings."

Kaiba glared at her but she merely smiled, removing her hand from her mouth and gazing back at him calmly. After a moment, Kaiba huffed a laugh. Oliver shook his head in soft amusement and even Shaadi's eyes softened.

"About the sniper," J'onn said hesitantly. "He escaped."

"I figured as much. How?" Kaiba demanded. "Did you get a good look at him?"

The Manhunter nodded. "He wore a mask so I did not see his face but he is tall, blonde, and wore robes of some sort. It reminded me of you," he said to the Regent.

Kaiba faced J'onn fully with interest. "Really? The description doesn't sound like anyone I know." He thought for a moment. "How tall was he?"

"Perhaps slightly taller than you," J'onn said. "He was also left handed."

"That'll hopefully narrow it down a bit," Diggle said with interest. "How did he get away?"

"He was riding a vehicle similar to one of your motorcycles but it was larger and unlike any motorcycle I have ever seen before," J'onn said.

"What color was it?" Diggle asked, pulling out his phone. "I'll call in a tip to the police and have them put out a BOLO."

"White," J'onn replied. "One wheel in the front, two in the back."

"A Trike then?"

The Martian shook his head. "No. The rear wheels were in line with each other. The body was slender with a pointed front like an arrow. I have never seen any vehicle like it before."

"How could someone snipe Kaiba from a high location on a motorcycle like that?" Wonder Woman demanded.

"How did he get the bike up there to begin with?" Oliver added.

"More importantly," Shaadi said, "how did he escape?"

"He vanished," J'onn answered simply.

Kaiba blinked and straightened his posture in surprise. "Vanished?" His eyes narrowed. "How do you mean?"

"He saw me coming, shouldered his rifle, and drove away," J'onn said. His yellow eyes blinked slowly in confusion. "He drove towards a wall and vanished in some sort of portal that formed there."

"Teleportation perhaps?" Shaadi asked. "Did the world around the portal ripple?"

The Martian shook his head. "No. It was steady except for the portal."

"Not teleportation then," Ishizu murmured.

"Was it like a flash?" Kaiba asked.

J'onn met the Regent's eyes evenly. "Yes, it was."

Oliver sat up in surprise but it was Kaiba who spoke. "So he too is from an alternate reality."

"Another one?" Diana gasped.

"So it would seem," J'onn said, nodding solemnly. "Will you hunt him down as well?" he asked the Regent.

Kaiba hesitated before shaking his head. "If we meet, then yes. Otherwise, no."

"Then who will be going?" the Martian asked.

"Me and Kaiba definitely," Oliver spoke up quickly. Kaiba's eyes darted to him warningly but Oliver crossed his arms and met the Regent's gaze defiantly. "I was there when Mokuba vanished. It's partially my fault he's gone. I'm going."

"You're the Starling City vigilante," Kaiba said. "You belong here."

"Then I guess it's good I have a part-time vigilante as my best friend and the Justice League as my comrades-at-arms," Oliver argued.

"Thanks for volunteering me," Diggle said sarcastically.

"You're welcome," Oliver said grinning unrepentantly. Diggle shook his head, unable to stay annoyed for long.

"I will go as well," Shaadi said. "You may have need of my teleportation ability."

Ishizu sat quietly before speaking. "I will not be going," she said, lowering her eyes. "I can't leave Marik alone."

Kaiba nodded in understanding but Shaadi looked distressed. "Ishizu," he asked softly, "are you certain?"

The Priestess met his strange eyes with a gentle smile. "I am. I will be needed here. I can use my ability to help warn you of any impending dangers through Court sessions as best I can," she said to both Shadi and Kaiba. "If Oliver can see Mokuba's Shadows and you," she looked to Kaiba, "know your brother's Shadows like no other, than you will not need me there with you. However," she added seriously, "Mai will go with you and I believe it would be wise to take J'onn with you as well."

"Is that so?" Kaiba asked. When Ishizu nodded Kaiba's eyes narrowed. "Is this something you _saw_?"

Ishizu paused, considering her words carefully before speaking. "Nothing exactly," she admitted. "Call it intuition."

Kaiba nodded. "I trust your intuition. I'll call Mai after I update the Pharaoh and Yugi."

"She is with Raphael and Amelda at Lake Tahoe," Ishizu said. "She has grown fond of the area. I heard it's lovely there. The group was trying to pool their money together to buy a cabin in the area."

Kaiba glanced at his Priestess suspiciously. "How would you know?"

She just smiled benignly and Kaiba visibly leaned back. "If she thinks she can strong-arm me into going-" he began threateningly.

"She won't have to," Ishizu said sweetly. "She knows your weakness."

Kaiba flinched, crossing his arms and nervously tapping his fingers on his arms. "It had better have wifi," he muttered. Ishizu hummed noncommittally and Kaiba winced running a hand over his face. "I was really hoping she'd forgotten about that."

"It's Mai," Shaadi said sympathetically. "She does not forget debts owed."

Oliver snickered. "You really should have paid for your own coffee," he said. Kaiba rolled his eyes and Oliver sobered. "So," the vigilante said, "we wait for Mai. How long should that take?"

"If she's still in Lake Tahoe," Diggle said thoughtfully, "then about nine to ten hours if she drives nonstop starting now."

"I could pick her up if that is what you wish," Shaadi offered to his Regent. "It is not far so it would not tire me overmuch."

"That may be necessary. Go ahead. Have her call me when you arrive; it'll save me a call." Kaiba said. He pulled out his phone and dialed a number. "I'll be in my room," he said. He walked off with the device held close to his ear. He paused to whisper something to Roland and Fuguta before stepping into his room and closing the door behind him.

Oliver shook his head. "Well," he said, "this is going to be fun. Who's telling the rest of the League?"

"I will," Wonder Woman said. "Superman and Batman will listen to me. I can field any questions they may have. If I tell them Helios is involved, they won't think much of it."

"Because he is one of your gods," J'onn said.

Diana nodded. "Superman may not be happy with you leaving but he'll deal with it. He's been busy with Metropolis. Batman shouldn't mind too much, though."

J'onn shifted. "If I may," he said to Oliver, "I would like to come with you when you go."

Oliver stood and turned to the Martian curiously. "Why?"

J'onn tilted his head. "I... am curious," he said. "I find the Shadows to be fascinating and I feel partially responsible for allowing the sniper to escape."

Ishizu nodded. "As I said before, it would be wise if you went. Kaiba trusts my judgement. He will take you with him."

* * *

 "Yugi," Kaiba said into the phone.

"Kaiba!" the young duelist answered. "How did the ground breaking go?"

"It didn't."

"What? Why not? Kaiba," Yugi said, his enthusiasm fading. "Are you alright? Is something wrong?"

"No," the Regent answered sitting slumped on his bed. "No, I'm not alright."

"What's wrong?"

Kaiba did not answer immediately. He pinched the bridge of his nose and rubbed his aching shoulder. The Solemn Wishes Spell had helped heal the worst of the wound, but he could only cast the Spell on himself once every so often. It drained his strength to accelerate the healing of the wound and the pain of the process was intense.

"I lost Mokuba," he said simply.

"You lost... Who took him? Is he alright?" Yugi demanded.

Kaiba shook his head before remembering Yugi could not see the action. "I don't know. It was my fault."

"I doubt that," Yami said softly. "What happened?"

Kaiba eased himself back to the mattress and was surprised to feel knees beneath his head and hands in his hair. He looked up and saw Seth leaning over him and running his hands through Kaiba's hair.

"There was a bomb at the party before the event," the Regent said, relaxing in Seth's lap. "It broke the balcony Mokuba was on and... He... I caught him but... I got shot and dropped him. He fell."

"Shot!?" Yugi exclaimed. "Where? Is it serious? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. It was just my shoulder." He heaved a sigh. "It's healing. It's Mokuba I'm worried about."

"Who took him?" Yami said, voice dark and furious.

"I don't know if he was taken or what happened exactly," he said. "But I do know vaguely where he went. Helios is with him. He grabbed him when Mokuba fell but couldn't stop the fall."

"At least Mokuba's not alone then," Yugi said. "Where do you think they were taken? Where do you want to meet us?"

Kaiba blinked in surprise. It was still difficult getting used to having friends who willingly went out of their way to help him without expecting anything in return. Seth smiled above him and brushed stray strands from Kaiba's forehead.

"I'm going to call Formal Court," the Regent said. "But I won't be there."

"You...what?" Yugi asked, confusion filling his voice.

"Mokuba was taken to another world," Seth said, after pressing the speaker button on Kaiba's phone. "Another reality. We're going after him."

"Which means you two have to stay," Kaiba finished. "I'll be taking Mai, Shaadi, kohai, and the Manhunter with me. That means my Priestess will be here alone with the Justice League. Hopefully, Raphael and Amelda will stay here with her, but I would prefer it if another Courtier were here with her."

"Marik will probably come anyway," Yami said, thinking through the options. "Which means Bakura and Ryou won't be far behind."

"That would be fine," Kaiba said. "Although it might be best if a Light showed up to keep things at least somewhat under control."

"I'll look into it," Yugi said. "Where should we meet you?"

"I'll text you the hotel and room number and have Ishizu stay here and wait for you." Kaiba closed his eyes and covered his eyes with his free hand. "I'm not sure this will work," he admitted. "That's why I want this to be a Formal Court."

"So you can have the Gods' help," Yami guessed. "We'll do what we can. Text us when you're ready. We'll contact the others so they'll be aware."

"We're going to rest while we can," Seth said. "This may drain us and we want to be ready in case things...do not work out."

"Understood," Yami said. "We're ready to help however we can."

Kaiba grunted and hung up dropping the phone on the bed and covering his face with his hands. Mokuba. He _needed_ Mokuba. Mokuba was his Keeper in more ways than one. His little brother was what kept him grounded and balanced, not only Shadow-wise but sanity-wise as well. Kaiba became single-mindedly driven when Mokuba was involved.

Mokuba was Kaiba's life, his reason for living.

Mokuba was the key to Kaiba's sanity.

Mokuba was Kaiba's weakness.

He had to get him back.

He had to.


	8. Lake Tahoe, Aircraft, and Phil

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Shaadi decides to change things up a bit, Raphael cooks, and two lost gods attempt to figure out where they are.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** We finally get a pretty big hint as to what world Helios and Mokuba are in. Also, Shaadi took over the first half this chapter and changed things up on me a bit.
> 
>  **1)** Sorry for the delay in updating. School started yesterday, I start working tomorrow and I'm taking my GRE test this Saturday at 8am so I gotta study my freakin' butt off. I have to score at least 800 points in order to get into the graduate school at the University of Georgia, but I have to score at least 1,000 points in order to get into the graduate program in Warnell College of Forestry and Natural Resources at UGA. So in other words, I could score enough points to get into the UGA graduate program but not enough points toget into Warnell. I have to get into Warnell or I'm screwed.
> 
>  **2)** "Kèyah," the name I used for the fictious town, is actually the Navajo word for "land" or "part of Earth which is notcovered by oceans or other bodies of water" according to https://en.glosbe.com/en/nv/land.
> 
>  **3)** I've added a couple new fandoms and character names to the tags for this fic. I'll keep adding stuff as the fic continues to keep from giving awa too many spoilers and to allow thestory to grow as thecharacters want without constraining myself.

Shaadi appeared in a small beach area he found on Google Maps. It had taken a few minute to commit the area to memory so he could accurate appear there. Thankfully, no one was out and about to see him materialize. He counted his blessings and reached out with his Shadows, seeking the Sorceress. He found her above and behind him. He turned to see a small cabin on a hillside and tugged on Mai's Shadows.

She responded and Shaadi Travelled to her finding himself in an open living space. Raphael stepped out of the kitchen, drying his hands on an apron while Mai continued to sit comfortably on the couch sipping her tea.

"Good afternoon, Shaadi," she said with a winning smile. "To what do I owe this visit? Has Seto decided to come join us?"

"Mokuba is gone," Shaadi said simply, ignoring Mai's words.

Mai stiffened, all humor gone. "Gone?" She set her cup down on the coffee table and stood, making her way around the table to the Adviser. "Where? What happened? Why wasn't I told sooner?"

Shaadi waited for the woman to pause for breath before speaking calmly. "It happened earlier today. The ground breaking event for the orphanage was bombed. Mokuba, and Helios who tried to protect him, vanished. It is complicated but we believe they may have fallen into another world."

"Another world like the Shadow Realm, you mean?" Raphael asked, stepping into the room.

The Egyptian shook his head. "No. We would have found him were that the case. Also, incidentally, the Regent was shot at the same time Mokuba and Helios vanished. It is not serious," he said quickly, raising a hand to stave off the exclamations, "but he was wounded. His right shoulder. As I said, it is not serious and is healing quickly, but the fact remains."

"He was shot," Raphael murmured. "Do we know by whom?"

The Adviser shook his head regretfully. "Unfortunately no. But one of the Justice League, the Martian telepath, saw him. He rides a motorcycle unlike any he had ever seen before and vanished in much the same way as Mokuba and Helios."

"Is he-"

Shaadi nodded. "We believe so, yes."

"Is Kaiba planning on hunting him?" Mai asked darkly.

"No," Shaadi said. "At least not directly. He intends to find Mokuba and Helios first." Pale-brown eyes glittered. "However, should this enemy make an appearance..." He shrugged.

"Right," Mai muttered. "So, what does he need me to do?"

"He wants me to bring you to Starling City, although," he looked around at the cabin, "I personally think this would be the better place to be."

"It's my new place," Raphael said proudly. He propped his fists on his hips and looked up at the A-frame ceiling and the windows lining the far wall facing the lake. "I bought it with some of my inheritance. I'll probably rent it out when I go traveling, get a little extra income, but if you want to visit, by all means."

Shaadi nodded. "It would be better than a hotel room, particularly one in which a bomber has already struck."

"Kaiba's room was bombed?" Mai gasped.

"No," Shaadi shook his head with a slightly embarrassed expression. "I apologize, English is not my first language. I meant the hotel in which Kaiba is staying in connected to the convention center which was bombed."

Raphael nodded. "He and his gang is welcome here," he said. "Who all would be coming?"

"Ishizu, Arrow, the Martian telepath, Kaiba's bodyguards, and perhaps the Amazon," he replied. "He intends to hold a Formal Court to help ease the way into another reality."

"To have Obelisk's help," Mai said nodding. "Makes sense. Who's going with him?"

"Ishizu believes you and Arrow should go as well as the Martian," Shaadi said. He shifted. "I personally think the telepath should remain behind, but..." He shook his head. "I trust the Priestess's intuition."

"Alright," Raphael said. "I'll inform Amelda. We'll set up the cots and start cooking."

Shaadi bowed his head. "I am most grateful. Do you have any messages for me to relay?"

The biker paused thoughtfully. "Tell the King I said hello," he said with a smile.

Shaadi's lips twitched upwards. "I shall." He nodded a farewell to the Sorceress then vanished, reappearing in the hotel room.

"Shaadi?" Ishizu called, standing. "Where is Mai?"

"I thought it best we go to her," he said firmly. "It is a secluded cabin owned by Raphael. I believe it will be safer there, not to mention it will not cost money every day we stay there."

The Priestess nodded, here midnight eyes gleaming. "I see. I will tell Kaiba, then we can leave. Will that work for you?" she asked Oliver.

"It's fine by me," he said standing. "I'll grab my Arrow gear."

* * *

He stirred, eyes opening slowly. The images around him were blurry. He blinked and the scene became clearer. Forest.

What?

He opened his eyes fully and sure enough, he was surrounded by trees and mossy ground. It was not where he was before he fell.

He fell.

That's right! He fell. The bomb exploded when he ran out onto the balcony. Seto tried to catch him with Arrow's help but he was shot. Helios had grabbed him but could not stop their descent. Helios. Where was Helios?

He turned around, dark gray eyes darting about before settling on a crumbled white figure close by. The stark white, button up shirt had come untucked and was covered in dirt and damp from the steady drizzle that had begun to fall. His white pants were in the same state of disarray and his white hair had come free from the ponytail and framed his head like a cloudy halo.

Mokuba hurried over to the unconscious Titan and nudged him carefully. Something was not right with his back and neck. Mokuba ran his hand along Helios' spin, flinching back when he felt the bone split and continue in another direction. Helios' back was broken which meant his neck was also most likely...

So Helios was dead.

But that did not make sense. Helios was a Titan. He had said clearly that he was immortal and invulnerable so he could not die from any human means. The fall was not technically a human caused death but Helios had also said that only another person who was also immortal and invulnerable could truly deal him a mortal blow to kill him off permanently. Which meant he would heal, right?

There was a huff of air and Mokuba froze, turning around slowly, terrified of what he would find. He heaved a heavy sigh of relief when he saw Helios' trusted stead Euos standing nearby, head down and ears forward. Euos' eyes watched Mokuba and his master closely as if waiting for something. Mokuba had a moment to wonder what the fiery horse was waiting for when he heard a sickening snap.

He whirled around and watched in horrible fascination as Helios' back now lay in the correct alignment. A second later, golden eyes opened and his neck snapped back into place. The Titan struggled to push himself up to his hands and knees before rubbing his obviously sore neck gingerly, wincing at the discomfort. His sun gold eyes noticed Mokuba watching him and he flushed, smiling awkwardly.

"It's not the first time this has happened," he said in a weak attempt to soothe the boy's fears. "I'll be fine, don't worry." He scooted close and reached tentatively out to Mokuba. "Are you alright?"

Mokuba nodded shyly. "My head hurts a little but other than that, I'm okay," he said.

Helios sighed in relief. "I took the brunt of the landing," he said in explanation as he stood unsteadily. Euos offered his long equine head for his master to lean on for support. Helios smiled gratefully at the fiery steed before turning his eyes to the cloudy sky above and the towering trees. "Any idea where we are?"

Mokuba shook his head warily. He gulped and reached out with his Shadows, searching for his big brother. He rarely used his Shadows because they were usually always busy keeping Kaiba sane and balanced and holding the Court together. He instinctively knew, his brother and the Court were no longer within his reach so his Shadows felt lost without their duty. They needed to keep everything calm and connected but there was nothing for them to calm and connect.

There was no one in the vicinity, no Shadow users, no non-Shadow users, no one. Other than Helios and Euos, Mokuba was alone. He gulped and turned to Helios who was beginning to ready Euos for a ride.

"Are we going somewhere?" Mokuba asked carefully.

Helios smiled. "Yes. We need to find out where we are since this is clearly not where we were before... Well, before we lost consciousness."

Mokuba did not bother to correct the Titan's avoidance of the word 'death.' Instead, he walked up and waited until Helios helped him onto Euos's back. A moment later, he felt Helios's comforting warmth against his back and grabbed a handful of the stallion's mane. Helios said something in what Mokuba assumed was ancient Greek and Euos shook his head before galloping off.

The stallion leaped and took to the skies as he had always done under Helios's command. He reached the top of the trees and circled, waiting for his master to give him guidance and directions. Mokuba stared at the landscape below him in awe. It was beautiful and so green. It looked like untouched virgin forest covered in a fluffy silver blanket. A line of low fog followed a nearby river hidden by the tall, leafy trees.

Helios cast his eyes about before settling on the direction he knew to be East. He spurred Euos forward and away they galloped. The winds here were unfamiliar to the solar deity and Euos was not particularly fond of them. Golden eyes searched for any signs of civilization, but there were none in the area that he could see. He dared not risk forcing the sunlight to break through the clouds and help him see. Better to save his strength for more pressing matters.

He was beginning to feel the faintest stirrings of fear when he noticed a light that did not belong to the sun moving through the clouds above. Curious, he reined in Euos and waited. Mokuba followed his gaze and saw the moving light as well. Soon, a low, rumbling roar began to fill their ears. Helios had a split second between the moment he recognized the sound and the huge airplane broke through the clouds.

He gave a small cry and urged Euos down, just barely dodging the huge jet's under carriage as it flew over them. Mokuba clamped his hands over his ears to block out the sound. Helios turned in his seat to follow the plane's descent. It was moving quickly, but nowhere near the speeds at which Euos could handle. He kicked the stallion's sides and raced through the air after the aircraft.

"Where are we going?" Mokuba cried over the wind.

"Hopefully, to one of your airports," Helios replied. "I do not plan on landing there but if my guess is right, where there's an airport, there is typically civilization of some kind."

It made sense but Mokuba still felt wary. Something about this place felt off, and that plane... It did not look like any airplane he had ever seen before. The form was similar, but it was black and huge like a military plane. The undercarriage was also closer to the aircraft's underbelly instead of extended from it like most commercial planes.

"Helios," he said. "Helios stop!"

Immediately, the Titan halted his steed and gazed down at Mokuba in mild confusion. "What is wrong?"

"That plane," the boy said, watching it as it began to make a wide turn in front of them. "I think... I think it's military."

"Military?" Helios lifted his golden eyes to watch the plane come about and speed back towards them. "Euos," he breathed, spurring the stallion back to movement. "Euos go!"

The stallion spun and leap forward, racing away from the oncoming plane. Instinctively, Euos plunged into the clouds above, seeking the protection they offered. They eventually broke through into the sunlight above, soaked from the moisture in the clouds. Helios, glanced over his shoulder and caught a glimpse of the tall tail break through the clouds behind them.

"Euos," he called in ancient Greek. "Go back into the clouds and head south with all speed!"

The Titan leaned forward against his loyal steed's neck as Euos picked up his speed, diving back into the clouds and abruptly swerving to the south. With luck, the direction and speed change would through off their perusers long enough to give them a chance to escape.

It seemed to work. The mechanical roar slowly began to fade away behind them, but they dared not escape the protective cover of the clouds. Unfortunately, by staying in the clouds, they steadily became colder and wetter until the solar Titan felt Mokuba shiver in front of him. Drawing his power, Helios began radiating heat and light. The light was never something he could entirely stop, but he could control his temperature.

Mokuba pressed himself against Helios' chest trying to get closer to the welcome warmth. Helios leaned further forward, covering the young Shadow user's body with his own, protecting him from the cold wetness of the clouds. He worried about the glow his body was emanating. As he increased his temperature, his light also increased. It was a setback he hoped did not draw too much attention because they were still hidden by the clouds.

Eventually, the clouds began to thin and disappear entirely. Hesitantly, Helios scanned the now mountainous region below and the skies above for any potential followers. The skies were clear now but the air was rough from the natural turbulence caused by the towering, rocky summits.

The sun warmed Helios's back and though it was not _his_ sun, it was _a_ sun and gave him enough strength to renew his reserves. It was a welcome relief. The clear skies offered him an unobstructed view of the terrain below and heavens above but it also made it easier for people on the ground to see them which mean he had to lower their altitude somewhat. It was dangerous because it could potentially bring them into contact with at times devastating turbulence by mountain rotors or the like.

Euos read his intentions and galloped lower in the sky, closer to the mountainsides and snowy ridges. The mountain range extended southwards along their path until an opening made itself known to the east. It was a plateau of sorts that weaved it way through the mountains towards the southeast. Perhaps, it would give them an easier ride and offer them a clear sign of civilization like a city or town.

Euos began following the flatter, reddish brown earth below. Mokuba shifted in feont of Helios who glanced down curiously. A faint smile tugged at his lips when he saw the young Keeper dozing against him, relishing the Titan's warmth. It eased Helios's heart to know Mokuba was no longer as scared as he had been. But it did give his worried mind a chance to dwell on the questions that tormented him.

Where were they? Where was the Regent? What had happened? Who was in the aircraft that chased them? Where was the Shadow Court? Where was the Justice League? Why were the winds unfamiliar? Why was the sun unfamiliar? Why did he feel out of place here?

As he pondered these things, Euos nickered drawing Helios's attention to something ahead of them. Helios lifted his golden eyes and scanned the horizon for whatever had caught Euos's attention. The dirt below had slowly changed from a brick red to a dusty brown. After a few seconds of looking, he saw a huge crater in the earth. It was almost perfectly bowl shaped with a strange extension in the middle. It looked much like how a splash appeared in slow motion. The water's surface indenting as the middle splooshed upwards.

No matter how strange it appeared, it would keep the wind from biting into them at night and offer shade for Mokuba if the sun became too hot. But just a bit further on was a small town. That had an even better chance of offering them a place to rest and figure out where they were. Perhaps, they could find a way to contact Kaiba.

Euos eased down to the earth until his hooves pounded across the dirt instead of the smoother air. The change in sound and movement startled Mokuba awake. He sat up and looked around with interest.

"Where are we?" he asked.

"I do not know," Helios replied. "But there is a town ahead where we can ask."

Mokuba looked up and saw the tiny town up ahead. It was small and run down and reminded Mokuba a lot of American postcards with photographs of 1950's buildings. Euos slowed down to a steady canter as they approached the town limits. When they passed the first building, Helios dismounted, placed a hand on Euos's neck, and led his loyal friend down the wide main street.

There was a cafe on the left as well as a smattering of other small buildings and a gas station on the right. Further down was an unusual, round structure with windows completely lining the walls and a steel roof. It looked curiously like one of the 'flying saucers' Helios sometimes heard people talk about. He led the horse to the front of the restaurant and helped Mokuba down.

"What are we doing here?" the boy asked.

"Euos needs water as do you," Helios answered calmly. "Also, they will likely have a phone you can use to call your big brother. They should also have food and a bathroom."

Mokuba smiled at the thought of finally talking to his big brother. He wanted to know where they were so they could find Seto. "I've got some American dollars, I think," he mumbled, digging into his pockets. He pulled out a couple bills from his small wallet and smiled. "I can get us something to drink too. Want anything?"

"Just water would be fine," Helios replied. "If you wait, I'll come in with you."

Mokuba nodded and waited as Helios pressed his forehead to Euos's. "Thank you, my friend," he murmured in ancient Greek. The horse nickered softly, nudging his master's forehead gently. "Rest. I'll bring you some water and food if I can."

Euos shook his head happily and watched as Helios and Mokuba stepped into the cafè. There were not many people inside, but the few that were stared at the strangely. Mokuba ignored them and hurried to the counter. He stood on his tiptoes and held out a dollar bill as he asked the waitress in accented English, "Can I use your phone please?"

She blinked in surprise and waved away the money. "Right over there," she said. "It takes quarters though."

Mokuba wilted. "I don't have coins," he mumbled dejectedly.

"I can give you change if you want," she offered.

Mokuba instantly brightened and handed her the bill. She took it and gave him four quarters from the cash register. He took the coins and hurried over to the phone to begin dialing leaving Helios standing by the counter.

"Can I help you?" the waitress asked him.

Helios smiled at her. "You would not happen to have a bowl or something to fill with water for my horse, would you?" he asked.

She glanced out the window to where a beautiful chestnut stallion stood waiting. His main waved in the desert breeze, his eyes were gazing at her, and his ears were up and turned forward. She smiled hesitantly. "We have soup bowls, I guess," she began. "But I'd have to charge you for the dish."

Helios sighed. "That is well. I would also like some water for myself, if you would please," he added.

She nodded but before she could head back to get his order, he asked, "If I may, where are we? I'm afraid this town was not on the map."

The waitress shrugged. "I believe it," she said, rolling her eyes in annoyance. "It's Kèyah, New Mexico."

"Thank you," he said. He had no idea where that was. The waitress went back to fetch a bowl and fill it with water. While he waited, Helios turned to watch Mokuba. He grew worried and he saw the young boy staring at him with wide, scared eyes.

"Mokuba," he called, coming up to him and crouching down. "What's wrong?"

Mokuba sniffed, biting his lip. He shook his head. "I can't reach him," he said in Japanese. "It keeps saying his number's not a real working number. I tried four times." He started shaking. "Nii-sama."

Helios pulled Mokuba close and held him gently. "We'll find him," he said. "I promise. Euos has carried me far and wide. Wherever we need to go, Euos can take us there. You have my word."

Mokuba nodded but did not release his hold on the Titan.

"Sir?" the waitress called.

Helios gently freed himself of Mokuba's grasp, smiling softly when dark gray eyes met his. He took a smaller hand in his left and stood, walking back to the counter. There was a bowl of water as well as a cup of water sitting by the cash register.

"That'd be $1.05," she said.

Helios lifted an eyebrow at the high price for water but Mokuba handed her a five dollar bill. Helios took the change and handed it to Mokuba. When the boy was finished tucking the money away, the Titan handed him the cup of water before taking to bowl in his own hands.

Together they walked outside into the sun. Euos came forward, nudging Helios arms curiously as he tried to get to the water. Helios chuckled and sat comfortably on the curb next to Mokuba as held the bowl in his lap. Euos nickered and began drinking, swishing his tail calmly. Mokuba sat next to Helios so he was in Euos's shadow and began drinking the water.

"The woman said we are in a town called Kèyah, New Mexico," Helios said. "Do you know where that is?"

Mokuba tilted his head thoughtfully as he drank. "Not the town, but New Mexico is a state in America. It's...um, in the southwest, I think."

Helios hummed noncommittally. "Now, I suppose a map would be useful." Mokuba leaned against Helios and continued drinking. Helios watched Mokuba before wrapping an arm around him in a show of comfort. "We'll find your brother," he said. "I promise."

Mokuba nodded and kept drinking. Helios sat silently as Euos and Mokuba drank. One of the good things about being immortal and invulnerable was that he never truly felt hunger or thirst. It was more of a habit or something he did because he wanted to do rather than something he needed to do. He contented himself with studying the landscape.

His golden eyes paused on the odd steel and glass building and noticed he could just see inside. There were only two in there that he could see. Both were females and brunettes. He could just make out several scientific objects and a computer which reminded him of Kaiba's lab and bedroom. He watched the two young women in mild interest before his attention was suddenly captured by several black vehicles.

They drove up to the glass structure where the women were working. The doors opened and several men and women in suits ran out. Helios sat up and watched with interest as the two women helped the men load the various scientific equipment into the vehicles. One of the men noticed Helios's attention and strolled over to him casually.

He was not too tall, slightly built, and had an easygoing expression on his face. He clasped his hands in front of him and smiled genially. "Afternoon," he said.

Helios nodded. "To you as well."

"This your horse?" he asked.

"He is, yes," Helios replied. "His name is Euos."

"Euos," the man murmured staring at the majestic stallion in interest. "He's a fine horse."

Helios smiled. "He is indeed."

"I'm Phil Coulson," the man said, extending his hand. "I haven't seen you around here before."

"Just passing through," Helios said vaguely shaking the man's hand politely.

"I see." Coulson studied Helios with sharp eyes and a genial smile for several moments before glancing over his shoulder. "Oh, it seems they're ready to leave. Don't want to keep them waiting," he said. "Nice talking to you," he called.

"You as well," Helios called back.

Mokuba slurped his straw, moping when the cup was empty. He and Helios watched the black vehicles drive away. "He was weird," he said. "Do you think we should follow them?" he asked.

Helios titled his head. "I do not know," he murmured. Coulson had indeed been an unusual human. The Titan was almost certain the man could sense Helios's presence which was disconcerting.

"We could find a bigger city," Mokuba offered.

"Perhaps at a distance then," Helios agreed, nodding. "Euos has good eyesight. We can follow so long as we stay far enough behind."

"Okay," Mokuba said standing up. "I'm gonna...go to the bathroom."

Helios laughed. "I'll return the dishes and see if we can get a refill."

Less than fifteen minutes later, Helios and Mokuba were again astride Euos and following the curious vehicles as they drove eastward. Mokuba held a freshly filled cup of ice water and Helios had control of his stallion as they galloped through the sky. The sun was setting so they would have to find a place to rest soon. Helios was the personification of the sun. If he rode Euos at night, then he would potentially shine like a comet. Not exactly the best way to avoid attention.


	9. Meetings and Flares

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Arrow meets sees a duel spirit, a member of the Justice League makes a surprise visit, and Helios lashes out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** I'm so sorry for the delay in posting this. School started, then I took my GRE, then I had to adjust my class and work schedule and had to get used to it this week. I've had half of this written for about three days but never got the chance to finish it. 
> 
> I was also renewing my knowledge of the Marvel canon 'verse. We get to meet another group of Marvel characters this chapter who will play a role in this fic. That leaves one last canon Marvel character to introduce. But s/he won't be making an appearance until Kaiba and the gang arrive. Sorry~ Guesses are welcome though. I'll tell you if you're right or not. ^_~
> 
> Lastly, I FINALLY got to let Helios use his powers. He's a kickbutt Titan, not a puny Olympian. He's awesome and SCIENCE!!! 
> 
> Ok, I'm done. Night y'all. I'll edit this and try to write/post the next chapter tomorrow. I have class every day until 11am and then work 12:30-5 Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday. If worst comes to worst and I fall behind on my every day/every other day posting schedule, then I'll try to have regular updates on Mondays, Thursdays, and the weekends.
> 
> That said, enjoy.

The change in location was not exactly the best thing to Kaiba. It was in the middle of the wilderness and the wifi connection was definitely going to be substandard if he tried to access it. Thank Ra for the cellular network. The hotel was not necessarily happy with such a rich patron pulling out in the middle of an extended reservation, but they cancelled his arrangements when they found out he had been present at the "event."

It saved him money but still, he glanced around at the log cabin with barely concealed trepidation, he was still not happy with the location. Especially with his Sorceress sitting comfortably on the couch across from him with a grin that promised mischief. He would never regret taking her on as his Sorceress, but there were times when he almost regretted the decision. Whenever she grinned like that constituted one of those times.

"What do you want Sorceress?" he demanded. Her grin just grew as she lifted her glass of red wine in a cheeky greeting. Kaiba rolled his eyes and turned to Raphael. "Raphael," he said simply.

"Regent," the large man replied smiling.

Arrow studied the muscular man curiously, feeling a faint twinge on his Shadows. He opened his Shadow sight and was pleasantly surprised to see a small leather and metal amulet with white feathers, possibly eagle feathers that seemed to move in the wind. There was also something, or some _one_ there, hovering just behind Raphael. It looked and felt a tiny bit like Seth did in a small way only. It felt... light. No, it felt _Light_. They _both_ felt Light.

"You're a Light?" Arrow asked curiously.

"Raphael," the man said, his smile growing as he extended his hand and shook Arrow's jovially. "You're a Balance, I see. I heard the Regent had a Shadow user in the League's ranks but he's been tight lipped about your identity."

"For good reason," Kaiba interjected, eyebrow lifted in warning. "I don't want him influenced. The Shadow Court exists in shadow for a reason. The last thing we need is for the world to find out about us particularly now that we have someone in the Justice League's ranks. People could perceive that as infiltration and spying. We know what happened last time an outsider caused trouble."

Raphael nodded solemnly. "I know," he said nodding. "I remember."

"Remember?" J'onn asked, stepping forward from the balcony where they arrived.

Raphael sobered and nodded but said nothing else. The spirit thing hovering behind him placed what appeared to be a soothing hand on his shoulder and Arrow squinted at it, hoping to see it clearer. He could just barely make it out. The spirit looked like a shadowy, humanoid figure with a strange head and possibly wings.

"Is there something on my face?" Raphael asked with a jovial laugh.

Arrow blinked back to reality loosing his focus. Whatever he saw was gone. He glanced at Kaiba who lifted an eyebrow curiously. The vigilante sighed and turned back to the Light. "Who's that behind you?" he asked.

Raphael turned but saw no one on the stairs or in the kitchen. He looked back at Arrow with confusion written on his face. "There's no one there. Amelda's still upstairs."

"No, I mean," Arrow trailed away as he tried to find the right words to describe what he was seeing. "Directly behind you." He opened his Shadow sight again and squinted once more. The figure was slowly getting clearer but still clouded around the edges. "It's looks human, but it has wings and an odd head."

Raphael blinked, mouth falling slack in shock. "You can see her?" he breathed pointing to the figure behind him.

"See whom?" J'onn asked reaching out with his mind but feeling nothing but those visibly present and Seth stirring faintly in Kaiba's mind.

Arrow nodded. "What is she?"

Raphael burst into a brilliant smile. "She's one of my duel spirits, Guardian Eatos." He looked at Kaiba obviously impressed. "You didn't tell me he was a seer."

"It wasn't relevant," Kaiba said, still staring at Arrow, although his expression had also changed to a mix of pride and interest. "He perceives the Shadows visually. He can see Seth when he puts his mind to it."

"Well that's an impressive gift right there," the burly man said extending his hand. "It's certainly good to meet you, Arrow."

The vigilante took the offered hand warmly. "Likewise." He glanced at the duel spirit. "You said it's a she? What does she look like? She's kind of hard to see."

Raphael reached into a familiar holster on his belt and pulled out his Deck. After briefly shuffling through the cards, he pulled out a single card and held it out. Arrow was careful not to touch it as he gazed at the artistically rendered woman. It was a Fairy Type Monster with an Effect of some kind. She wore an eagle's head as a hood, wore clothes reminiscent of those worn by the Native Americans, had large feathered wings, and wore long white eagle feathers from her ears.

"She's beautiful," he said softly.

"That she is," Raphael said fondly, caressing the much loved card before replacing it back into his Deck with care. "I can also see the Shadows. I can hear them too when it comes to my duel spirits but otherwise, I can only see them." He placed a hand on Arrow's shoulder in a friendly acceptance. "Welcome to the family."

"Thank you," the vigilante said, a smile quirking his lips.

Shaadi stepped in behind the group and stuffed his arms into his sleeves as he approached Mai. "I hate to sober this meeting, but I am afraid Ishizu has decided to remain behind," he said softly.

"Why?" Mai demanded surprised.

Shaadi lowered his eyes. "She wishes to remain with her brother." Mai nodded in understanding as Shaadi continued. "Also, I did not mention it before but I believe it is important for all of you to know." He glanced at Amelda who finally emerged from the bathroom upstairs, nodding a greeting. "The Priestess believes Seth's tomb has been unearthed."

"What?!" Amelda exclaimed, leaning on the railing of the loft above the group.

"My thoughts exactly," Kaiba muttered.

Shaadi had the decency to blush as he responded. "An archeological team discovered it, possibly by accident. Marik has been attempting to slow down their progress through the museum but he doubts he will be able to stop it entirely. Ishizu is going to join him."

"I thought the tombs were protected," Amelda said coming down the stairs to sit on a step near the middle, swinging his legs casually through the railing slots.

"They are," Kaiba said. "There are several mechanical traps outside and within the tomb itself that must be deactivated before allowing entry into the inner chambers. Not to mention the Spells cast on the doors. It will take a while for the idiots to penetrate it."

"Yet another reason why Ishizu wants to be with Marik," Raphael muttered in realization.

"Spells? Traps? You mean like Shadow magic?" Arrow asked with cautious interest.

Shaadi nodded silently while Mai answered. "The mechanical traps are just that, mechanical. Some may not work anymore." She glanced at Amelda who was listening closely, his narrowed eyes studying the only non-Shadow user present before continuing. "The spells are Shadow magic but while the magic is strong, particularly on sacred ground such as that, it still fades over time just like everything else."

"Will they be like the Curse of Tutankhamen?" Arrow asked curiously.

Amelda snorted. "Much more potent than that," he said. "Especially since that was not really a curse so much as bad timing and bad health of those present. Given the amount of time that has passed since the spells were originally cast, I'd say a few people will die, but most will get sick. Some may not experience anything at all. All that aside," he glanced sidelong at Kaiba, "how are you dealing with all this?"

"I'm fine," the Regent said sternly, dismissing the subject. He went over to the couch and sat next to Mai. "I plan to hold Formal Court in an hour. Will that give you enough time to help Ishizu get to New York to catch a flight back to Cairo?" he asked his Adviser.

Shaadi tilted his head thoughtfully. "It should be, yes. However," he added hesitantly, "I will not be at full strength when I return."

"That's fine," Kaiba said. "I don't plan on doing anything more stressful than Court."

"And traverse the Shadow Realm into an alternate reality and everything that entails," Mai snarked earning her a soft snicker from Arrow.

Shaadi blinked slowly before nodding to Kaiba and vanishing in a teleport. Kaiba glanced around briefly before leaning forward and shivering. He glanced at Arrow, narrowing his eyes, warning him not to mention it. Arrow gave him a look but respected the Regent's wishes.

"Well before you go traipsing off after your brother in some unknown, godforesaken who-knows-where," Amelda said flippantly, "why don't you eat something. There's coffee in the kitchen I think. It's not fresh but it should still be warm. Maybe."

J'onn nodded and made his way into the kitchen to pour himself a cup of coffee. Amelda watched him go fascinated. "Has anyone told you you look like a fish kind of?" he asked.

J'onn paused and looked over at the young man curiously. He was thin, wore a crop top shirt, tight capris, a thin jacket, and heavy combat boots. His hair was chin length and dark red, almost maroon. The Martian lifted an eyebrow. "No."

Amelda shrugged. "They should have. You look like you belong in water. You'd probably make a better Aquaman than the, ahem, _real_ Aquaman. He's blonde isn't he?"

"Don't ask me," Kaiba said. "I'd rather not think of Atlantis or anything related to it and its incarnations."

"He is," Arrow answered. "I've never actually met him face to face but I've spoken with him indirectly through the Watchtower comm systems. He's pale skinned because he lives in the deep oceans where there's less sunlight. He gets sunburned easily, I hear. Oh, and he can talk to fish."

"Makes sense," Mai said.

"He sounds like an interesting man," Raphael said, leaning against the stairs so his head was level with Amelda's knees.

"He sounds like a lot of talk and no do," the younger man said, scoffing disdainfully.

Arrow glanced at Amelda and opened his Shadow sight cautiously. There were no hovering shadows but he felt something... It could be Balance but it felt a bit more Dark than usual. He focused on Amelda specifically and saw a small robot, almost like a toy a child would play with. He blinked back to reality and glanced at Kaiba who was watching him. The vigilante lifted an eyebrow in question but Kaiba lifted his own in response.

Arrow huffed and asked Amelda his question directly, "Are you Balance or Dark?"

Amelda smirked. "Technically, I'm Balance, although I tend to lean more towards the Dark at times. But yes, I am Balance. I take it you are too."

Arrow nodded and sat in an armchair across from the old couch. "Since about a year ago," he said.

"He can see Guardian Eatos," Raphael said to his friend.

Amelda's eyes grew round in surprise. "You can see her?" Arrow nodded and Amelda cackled nudging Raphael playfully. "See? You're not the only one who can see them now." Raphael blushed and smiled happily at the teasing. "I personally can only feel the Shadows," Amelda said. "It makes for interesting conversation when I start talking about how everything feels."

"I can see why," J'onn said, returning to the living room with a cup of lukewarm coffee. "Green Lantern is coming," he said to everyone in general. "He should be here soon."

"Why's he coming?" Mai asked.

"I am unsure," the Martian admitted. "I do not make a habit of prying into other people's minds without their permission. I can feel his mind approaching, but nothing else distinct."

"Maybe he has news about the bombing," Arrow said. "He was the one speaking to the media and authorities. Hopefully, they've got something."

"How long until he arrives?" Raphael asked.

J'onn tilted his head and said simply, "He has already arrived."

"Excus-"

"Hello," the man in question said, landing on the back porch overlooking Lake Tahoe. "I hope I'm not intruding."

Kaiba just closed his eyes and leaned back in the couch, tightening his muscles to fight down another fit of shivering as he deliberately ignored the new arrival. Raphael and Amelda studied the superhero curiously.

"Were you in the armed forces?" Raphael asked.

Lantern stiffened in surprise before nodding. "Yes. I'm a Marine."

"Still in active duty or retired?"

"You never retire from the Marines," the metahuman replied and Raphael grinned.

"Good answer," the burly blond man said, stepping forward and extending his hand. "Any veteran is welcome here. Thank you for your service."

"My pleasure," Green Lantern said.

"Any news on the bomber?"

Lantern's form wilted somewhat. "Unfortunately no. It's too soon to know enough. I can say the bomb was likely an old fashioned type. Based on the one recovered before the balcony bomb exploded and the study of the crime scene so far, it seems like both bombs were made using an old style combination of black powder and lit by a traditional fuse."

"That's very basic," Amelda said furrowing his brow thoughtfully and idly kicking his legs against the wall from his position on the steps. "It also means someone had to light the fuse by hand personally."

"Precisely," Lantern said with a grin. "We're in the process of recovering the tape from the damaged security cameras but nothing yet. Hawkgirl and I plan on keeping you all updated as often as possible."

"You and Hawkgirl, hm?" Mai said with a sly grin. Lantern had the grace to blush. "How are you two doing by the way?"

The superhero shifted uncomfortably. "It's...going. It is strange dealing with past memories of someone with Shayera's face and personality but who isn't...and is her. Honestly, it's giving me a headache."

"Don't think too much on it," Kaiba said. "Just accept it and move on. You're a different person than you were, you both are. Remember that and see her for who she is _now_ , not for who she was."

The dark man nodded seriously. "I do. It's just strange."

"Wait, you had a past life too?" Amelda exclaimed.

Lantern nodded. "I did, yes. Incidentally," he glanced at Kaiba, "Kaiba's previous incarnation and myself were enemies."

"Ooh, intrigue," the young man said, leaning against the railing. "Do tell."

"While you do that, I'm going to take a nap," Kaiba said, promptly relaxing into the cushions. "Wake me when Shaadi returns and we can call Court to session and get out of here."

* * *

It had gotten hard to follow the car caravan once the sun set. Euos was forced to descend to the ground and once that happened, it became difficult to tell the black cars from the darkness. Helios could find almost anything in the light of the sun, but the night was not his territory. It had always been his sister Selene's.

Eventually, he had to call off the trek and find a place to spend the night. As they moved further east, the weather warmed somewhat. There was a line of clouds with embedded thunderstorms ahead so perhaps this was the result of a warm front. That meant he would need to keep an eye out for the cold front somewhere behind them. The last thing they needed was to be lost, alone, cold, and wet.

Mokuba was amazingly calm throughout their entire misadventure. From what Helios had learned during his stay with the Shadow Court, enemies seemed to get a kick out of kidnapping the younger Kaiba brother to get at the elder. So by that reasoning perhaps Mokuba was used to dealing with these kinds of situations to a certain extent. Helios was still aware of the tense worry the boy kept hidden just under his calm exterior, but he refused to call him on it. In this case it would be pot calling the kettle black.

Helios reined Euos back as they approached a city and dismounted helping Mokuba down next. They had stopped just outside a large city with a huge arch overlooking a river. Helios was not particularly familiar with the intimate geography of countries that were not Greece or its old affiliates so he did not know which city this was. He observed the Earth on a daily basis but political landscapes were not exactly clearly visible from altitude. Not to mention politics were finicky things and changed too quickly for him to bother paying attention to.

He reached back and ran a soothing hand over Euos's muscular neck. He pressed his forehead to his loyal steed's and whispered softly in ancient Greek, "Forgive me, my friend. You have remained by my side through this but it would be best if you hid yourself for a time. Where we now go you cannot follow. I will call if I need you."

Euos nickered softly and bumped his nose against Helios's chest and the Titan felt love swell in his heart for this brave stallion once more accompanied by guilt that he had to leave. But Mokuba had needs Helios could not provide without help from the humans. He would maintain mental contact with Euos but he could not bring him along. Horses were not allowed in buildings.

Reluctantly, the Titan stepped away and Euos shook his fiery mane before leaping away and vanishing like the tail of a comet. Helios watched his retreating form only looking away when a small hand slipped into his. His golden gaze dropped to meet Mokuba's gentle dark gray. He smiled and together they made their way into the city.

They did not have much money between the two of them but so long as they found a place to shelter them Helios could provide the much needed heat. From what they had been able to gather about this place, wherever it was, it had about the same level of technology as the world they came from with a few differences.

From casual observation of advertisements and people rushing by, they learned the Apple company existed in this world as did Microsoft but instead of KaibaCorp as the third technological giant, there was another company called Stark Industries. There were many devices in store windows and in people's hands that bore the Stark Industries logo.

Mokuba pulled Helios into a McDonald's and bought a dollar tea and small hamburger. They sat in a booth in the middle of the restaurant that had a wall separating them from the order counter on the left and a divider separating the window booths on the far right from the niche of two booths where they currently sat. Helios settled in the booth closest to the shadowed area of the niche with Mokuba sitting across from him. The booth was elevated so both his and Mokuba's feet could kick freely in the air or rest comfortably on a foot rest that ran parallel to the seats under the table.

While Mokuba ate, Helios watched the news channel on the television mounted on the divider. It was muted but had subtitles in English running along the bottom. They were slightly out of sync but Helios could figure it out. Through this method, he learned there was a group of superheroes in this world as well. They called themselves the Avengers and were currently the main theme on this news channel. Aliens had invaded this world in a city called New York and the Avengers had fought them off.

The video clips shown on the screen, though muted, were graphic and starred the self-named Avengers and the disgusting alien creatures. The very sight of those creatures made Helios's hackles rise in disgust and discomfort. There was something inately wrong with those things.

He tore his eyes away from the screen to see Mokuba setting down his drink and rubbing his eyes in exhaustion. Helios smiled softly. "You should sleep while you can," he said. "It's warm in here. I doubt they will kick us out since we are paying customers."

Mokuba nodded and blushed. "Can I..." He sat back awkwardly and twiddled his fingers unsure. "Can I-"

"Yes," Helios said, knowing what the boy was trying to say. "Come over here."

Mokuba hopped down, pausing to grab his drink. "Refill," he muttered. He hurried off to refill the drink before returning. He set the cup on the table and climbed up to the bench Helios sat on and stretched out so his head rested on the Titan's lap. "You'll wake me if Nii-sama shows up, right?" he asked, wide hopeful eyes staring up at Helios's hesitantly.

The Titan smiled. "Of course," he said. He sat back against the cushion and ran a hand through Mokuba's hair until the boy fell asleep. Then he spent his time alternating between brooding and watching the television. It was going to be a long night, and it was for several hours.

Unfortunately, the strange sight of people running down the street, their screams ringing dully through the windows of the restaurant, heralded something not so pleasant. Helios had a split second warning as the windows flexed before they burst out of their places. He yanked Mokuba up, dragging the both of them under the booth table to protect them from the glass and debris as a car flew through the building.

Mokuba screamed and Helios felt his powers activate, instinctively protecting them. The gravitational field of the sun he represented captured the flying vehicle and yanked it around them to the side where it crash landed. Thankfully, no one had been sitting there since it was the middle of the night.

Helios carefully lifted his head and took in the devastation. People were still running and screaming from a group of strange looking people who were busy fighting other strange looking people. Interestingly, one of the people fighting was a woman with stark white hair who tossed lightning from her hands.

Terror developed through millennia of oppression by another being who could wield lightning from his hands sparked within Helios and his powers reacted. He glowed, ready to defend himself and Mokuba if necessary. Some of the lights in the dilapidated McDonald's were still working thus preventing the Titan from shining like a beacon but from the way they were sparking, they would give out soon.

Helios clamped down on his powers, forcing them back under control. This was not Zeus. This was another world and the lightning wielder was a woman, a _mortal_ woman. He felt no godhood from her.

"Helios?" Mokuba called, clinging to the Titan. "What happened?"

"The city is being attacked," he answered, ducking behind the debris hoping they would go unnoticed. "I'm not sure who are the enemies and who are the defenders."

Mokuba snuck up beside Helios and poked his head over the edge of the shredded chuck of metal and wood that had once been the divider. One of the men on the ground fired red beams of light from his eyes at the being who hovered in the air tossing cars and metal lampposts about like toys. So he had been the one to throw the car.

He wore strange armour unlike any Helios was familiar with but used a power he was familiar with to through the cars and metal objects. Magnetism. Any solar deity was familiar with magnetism, especially sun deities. Helios knew how the Earth deflected masses of solar radiation to the poles creating the lights named after the Roman name given to his lost sister, Aurora.

Helios watched from his somewhat protected position as the man controlling magnetism carelessly tossed a pole towards a fleeing woman. He felt his heart leap in his chest and almost lashed out with his powers when the pole was knocked aside by a man with knives growing from his fists. Humans controlling lightning, magnetism, firing lasers from their eyes, and growing knives from their skin...

What kind of strange world was this?

"Come on," he said, taking Mokuba's hand. "Let us leave while we can."

Mokuba obediently followed Helios as they snuck away, dodging from hiding place to hiding place. It was times like these that Helios deeply regretted his inner light. By wearing white clothes he could attribute his apparent glow to the illusion of the white, but in the darkness like this at a heightened state of alertness, his glow intensified. And it caught someone's attention.

Mokuba glanced back and cried out in surprise and fear. Helios reacted immediately before actually looking back to see what the threat was. He had to protect Mokuba. He whirled and lashed out with the heat and power of a solar storm. His glow became blinding and a whip of superheated plasma thrashed outward in a shock of energized brilliance, heat, and charged particles that raced across the space between himself and the perceived threat. In this case, it was a person diving through the air towards them.

Helios saw the fleeting expression of terror cross the person's face before the being disintegrated in the superheated ejection. The resulting solar wind blasted away everyone in the vicinity and created tiny mockeries of the aurora above and below the human who controlled magnetism where the theoretical magnetic poles would be.

All of this lasted a mere two seconds then it was over. The solar storm, the heat, the energized particles, everything was gone. Euos, unafraid and unharmed by the blast from his master landed next to the Titan, alerted by the familiar surge in his master's power. Helios used the distraction of the other parties to lift Mokuba onto Euos's back and mount himself. The stallion needed no command, immediately leaping away and speeding through the sky. But they did not go unnoticed.

Several humans reported a strange glow streak across the sky that night but it was attributed to the fight between the mutant X-Men and the infamous Brotherhood. The humans were not the only ones aware of them now.


	10. Strange Men, Crash Landings, and the Woman

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Traveling dimensions is filled with roadblocks, landings aren't nice, and women are deadly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** Again, sorry for the delay. Time isn't something I take for granted anymore. Neither is naps. I miss naptime. T_T I've also been have headaches almost constantly. Can't figure out why but they won't stop.
> 
> That aside, I figured I should give a little background into this Marvel universe so it's not too confusing. This fic takes place post-MCU Avengers and near the beginning of the Avengers Assemble animated TV show. Yes, Falcon is in it but I'm using his MCU version. He just kicks more butt in MCU in my opinion.
> 
> The Agents of SHIELD series started almost immediately after Avengers. No, I won't be working with the Inhumans or Obelisk arcs. Too complicated just for this. TAHITI is a thing but if it comes up as important, it'll be explained for everyone to understand. Otherwise, don't worry about it.
> 
> The X-Men characters in this are perhaps in an AU ending to the first X-Men made years ago. Thor 2 happened earlier than in the MCU, try almost immediately after Avengers. So that's already happened. But there are differences: Loki isn't impersonating Odin, he really escaped cuz he's awesome oike that; Frigga didn't die because NOOOO!; Odin is still the Allfather; and Thor is still working with the Avengers.
> 
> Lastly, the man introduced in this chapter is a canon Marvel character whom I adore. I hinted at his identity but never said sraight out. I will be using the version of him from his 2007 animated film which can be streamed on Netflix. If you can guess who he is, kudos to you. Otherwise, I'll reveal his identity next chapter.

Kaiba stood in the not-space that served as the location for their Court and gazed down at the planet Earth far below. Ishizu, Shaadi, Arrow, and Mai stood nearby. He could feel the nudging nuisance that was the Martian hovering nearby. They were all waiting for Yami and Yugi to call them to the desert oasis where the gods would meet them. When the summons came, Kaiba grabbed the Shadows of everyone under his control, hoping J'onn would have the ability to follow with his mind, and felt the landscape warp, morphing into the palace plaza as it had been 5,000 years ago.

The Regent cast his eyes around the area and was pleased to see the members of his Triad as well as Arrow standing comfortably nearby. He reached out with his Shadows and felt J'onn's mind straining to reach them. He made a mental note to keep a close watch on the telepath. The last thing they needed was to lose someone in between realities.

A strong, steady feeling behind him broke the Regent out of his thoughts and he turned to see Obelisk kneeling and gazing down at him. His lips quirked upwards at the corners as he nodded a welcome. Obelisk grumbled a greeting that was echoed by Osiris slithering into the plaza near Yami and his Triad and Ra landing behind Yugi and his Triad.

"Are you sure about this, Kaiba?" Yugi asked softly. "You know we'll come with you if you want."

He did know, which was why Kaiba needed his fellow monarchs to stay here. They could not afford to have more than one missing at a time; especially since they were not entirely sure what the side effects would be with just one monarch gone. They were not even sure if the Shadows would allow such an act of separation to occur in the first place. The monarchs ruled the Shadows only because the Shadows allowed it. They were still bound by the Shadows and their rules.

"You need to stay here," Kaiba said firmly. "As long as your Light and your Dark are present, the Balance should not be too affected."

"Yes," Yami agreed. "Hopefully, you will still be able to govern the Balance from this other realm. We may even be able to communicate with each other and possibly even hold Court."

"Let's hope," Marik muttered.

"Any news on Set's tomb?" Mai asked.

"Yeah," Honda said, stepped up next to Yugi. "About that, have you tried sabotaging it? Causing accidents or that kind of stuff?"

"Honda?!" Anzu gasped.

The brunette flinched and waved his hands in defense. "Nothing deadly! Just, you know, pranks. Stuff that'll scare people off."

"I and my people are doing that as we speak," Marik said seriously.

"Of course," Bakura said with a toothy grin, "it helps that he has a professional tomb robber aiding him."

"Indeed," Shaadi said.

Mai snickered and Ishizu sighed. The Priestess glanced at her brother and asked, "Do we know the name of the person or persons behind the excavation?"

The Priest sobered and nodded seriously. "Yes, and you won't believe who it is," he said glancing at Arrow significantly. "It's Carter Hall."

"Shadow Thief!?" Jounouchi barked. "The hell? Why's 'e doin' that?"

"My thoughts exactly," Kaiba said, blue eyes narrowed dangerously. "Did you get that, telepath?" he called to the Martian, feeling for the faint mind belonging to the interloper.

Arrow looked over to a nearby column where he felt the feather of J'onn Jonzz's mind hovering and could have sworn he felt a faint nod. "He heard," the vigilante said. "I get the feeling he'll tell the others as soon as he can."

"Good," Kaiba grunted. "Then let's get going."

He turned to Obelisk, met the great god's eyes with his own, and began chanting a prayer is soft hieratic. "Lord of the Balance, Tormentor of Souls, God of Obelisk, guide me, your Regent, to a place unknown." His voice began to echo, repeated by another voice identical to his own but still unique and separate. Seth. "Keep us safe, do not let us fall, send me to the Keeper, send us to my brother. This I ask in my name, Kaiba Seto, Regent of the Shadow Realm and Earthbound Shadow Kingdom, formerly Set, High Priest of the Shadow Court."

Osiris hissed and lowered his head, crouching down on his forearms and opening both mouths. Ra spread his golden wings over them like a canopy and Obelisk extended his enormous hand to his Regent. Kaiba's gaze never wavered as he stepped onto the hand. He felt Shaadi and Mai follow his lead. Arrow hesitated only a moment before doing the same.

Slowly, Obelisk curled his fingers up forming a kind of protected cage, preventing the occupants on his hand from falling as he raised his arm. When he could gaze at his Court at eye level, he stopped and growling something to which Kaiba nodded. Obelisk's and the Regent's eyes began glowing a cool, icy cobalt as Kaiba allowed Obelisk to pour his divine power into him. The Shadows around them began darkening, thickening, growing more sentient and powerful.

"Kohai," Kaiba said aloud, his words pulsing with power. "Pull the telepath close. We'll take it from there."

Arrow nodded and used his Shadows to reach out to J'onn's mind. The Martian telepath gripped his Shadows as best he could and pulled himself closer so his mental signature hovered directly beside the vigilante. They all grabbed each other's hands. Arrow held Kaiba's left hand and Shaadi's right, Shaadi held Mai's hand, and Mai held Kaiba's other hand.

"Telepath," the Regent said, reaching out to grasp the interloper with his Shadows, "hold on tight and whatever you do, do not let go or get distracted."

Arrow felt confirmation ebb from the mental presence and a moment later, Obelisk closed his other hand over the small group, enclosing them in darkness. Arrow felt J'onn's concentration waver accompanied by the faint sensation of pain. The vigilante lashed out with his Shadows, grabbing the presence and yanking it firmly back into place. But there was something wrong. The presence...it was not J'onn's.

It glowed green.

The vigilante had a split second of confusion before it became euphoria. He gripped the presence that should be J'onn's but was not and Kaiba's hand tightly as the sensation of falling enveloped his senses. It should have been terrifying but it was not. It felt amazing. The Shadows were everywhere: above him, below him, all around him. They were helping and protecting him.

It felt like Shadow Travel but on a completely different scale. It felt like he was swimming in a sea of Shadows. The sentient presence brushed his mind and soul in intimate ways and Arrow never wanted it to-

They stopped.

Confused and more than a little miffed, the vigilante opened his eyes and realized they had stopped moving because something was blocking their way; or, more accurately, some _one_. It was a man about thirty-five years old or so. It was hard to tell because he looked ageless in a way. His hair was midnight black with thick streaks of white framing his face. The strange man wore a long black robe with a red cape draped over his shoulders. His piercing green eyes gazed directly at Kaiba who met the gaze evenly with his own glacial blue.

"I'm afraid I cannot allow you to enter this world," the man said calmly. He was serene and non-threatening, for the moment.

"I don't remember asking your permission," Kaiba said.

"It is my job to protect this world from inter-dimensional travelers such as yourself," the man continued. "Not all of them are friendly."

"I could care less about your world," Kaiba said firmly, blue eyes narrowing. "I want what was taken from me."

A sharp black eyebrow lifted. "And what would that be?"

"I do not answer to you," Kaiba sneered. "He is _mine_ and he was taken from me. I will get him back if I have to obliterate your world to do so."

The man sighed. "I'm afraid I cannot let you pass."

"It's his brother," Arrow said drawing the attention of the strange man and Kaiba. "He was attacked and his brother fell into this world. We just want him back. We'll leave as soon as we have him."

Kaiba's eyes glowed with fury but the man's had grown clouded. "You brother," the man asked gently, "what does he look like?"

Kaiba said nothing, and Arrow could feel his Regent's suspicion and distrust practically radiating off of him. It was Shaadi who answered, "He is young, only a boy. He is fifteen years old. It is possible he may have had a companion with him. They both fell and vanished at the same time. We believe...we hope they may be together."

"And this companion?" the strange man pressed.

"White," Shaadi answered. "He is white with golden eyes."

"He's like an uncle or close cousin to the boy," Mai said. "They will protect each other."

The man nodded to himself. "I know of whom you speak," he said. Kaiba visibly stiffened, eyes narrowing in fury. The man ignored the Regent and continued, "He fell here a day ago. I'm afraid I'm not exactly sure where."

"They passed your blockade?" Kaiba demanded.

The man shook his head. "I could not stop them because I was protecting the city. It was attacked. Also," his green eyes softened sympathetically and Arrow felt the first stirrings of fear, "they fell hard and fast. If what you say is true and we speak of the same people, then you should know it is likely they did not survive the landing."

"You're lying," Kaiba hissed. "They're _mine_! I _won't_ lose them!"

The man sighed and Arrow could practically feel the sorrow flowing from him. "For your sake and their's I hope you're right. I cannot track them for some reason." He gazed at Kaiba curiously but the Regent remained silent.

Then a faint hum filled the not-space and everyone froze. Kaiba looked up and his eyes widened as a stream of rainbow light blasted down towards them. The strange man's eyes widened in horror. He yelled something and tried to reach out and grab Kaiba but the Regent reacted first. Shadows enveloped the travelers, cementing them together, just before the blast of light struck them.

The man vanished with a cry and Kaiba screamed under the attack. Arrow heard his own scream as well as Shaadi's and Mai's drown in the loud, forceful noise of the light. The solid light pounded against Kaiba's protective Shadow shell causing cracks to start spidering their way across the surface.

An agonizing eternity later, they were slammed to the ground, the Shadows dissipating as intense heat suddenly beat down on them from above. Arrow opened his eyes and blinked against the brightness. He tried again and this time saw the enshrouded Shadowed forms of Kaiba, Shaadi, Mai, and John sprawled on the dirt ground. He struggled to push himself up to his hands and knees when he blinked.

John?

Forest green eyes darted back to where the Shadow covered body was struggling to stand and felt his heart drop. John Stewart. Why was he here? _How_ was he here? What happened to J'onn?

Arrow managed to get to his feet, staggering slightly, and only then noticed the other person nearby. A woman with long brown hair tied up in a severe ponytail and wearing armor reminiscent of _Xena, Warrior Princess_. She even had a sword.

Arrow blinked. Well, this was unexpected. The woman also seemed surprised. She whirled, taking in Arrow and his bewildered companions before adopting a defensive crouch. Arrow immediately raised his hands and made no sudden moves.

Luckily for him, he did not have to. Kaiba attacked first.

The woman suddenly crashed to the ground and was held there by an unseen force. Arrow winced sympathetically as he recognized the Gravity Bind Spell. He had done his research since he first met the Shadow Court. If this Spell held her down, that meant she was strong. He did not ask questions but quickly took stock of his companions, making sure they were all on their feet and mostly alright.

He glanced to the left and noticed a cloud of dust kicking up in the distance. "Regent," he called.

Kaiba followed Arrow's gaze and quickly grabbed Mai's wrist and ran. Arrow followed with Shaadi. The vigilante caught John's sleeve as he ran dragging him along as the ran towards a rocky outcropping.

"The hell?" he heard John mutter. Obviously the man was just as confused about all this as Arrow was. Fantastic.

"Don't talk, just run," Arrow said.

He chanced a careful look over his shoulder and saw the woman getting to her feet, the Spell must have worn off. And from the looks of it, she was not happy. She drew her sword, twirled it, and ran after them.

"Regent, company!" Arrow called.

Kaiba stopped and turned back, waiting for the others to join him. He reached out and grabbed Arrow's outstretched hand just as Shaadi grabbed his shoulder. The vigilante noticed Kaiba had paused in the narrow shadow of a saguaro cactus. It was not the larger, darker shadows of the rocks further away, but it would do.

Arrow turned back just in time to see the woman give a war cry and swing her sword, then the Shadows embraced them again. He felt Kaiba's Shadows reach out, searching for a safe place to appear. He also felt John's discomfort and disorientation as they Traveled to a somewhat safe location nearby which turned out to be a small, shaded alcove in the rocks.

The moment Kaiba materialized, he stalked up to John and glared. "What by Osiris's hell are you doing here, Lantern?" he demanded.

"I'd like to know the same thing," John fired back.

"Perhaps something happened," Seth offered peaceably appearing between Kaiba and Lantern. He placed a gentle hand on the Regent's arm, nudging him back. His crystalline eyes focused on Green Lantern curiously and he asked softly, "What was the last thing you remember?"

"J'onn was in pain," Lantern said. "I tried to help him then..." He waved a hand absently and said, "this happened."

"The telepathic connection must have switched," Shaadi murmured.

"But that doesn't explain how he came along for the ride," Mai said. "Even if their minds switched, Lantern shouldn't have been able to come."

Arrow sighed in realization. "Except I grabbed him," he said. Kaiba turned to the vigilante expectantly and Arrow elaborated. "I felt J'onn's mind become...distracted. It happened just as we were about to start Traveling. I reached out and grabbed what I thought was J'onn but..." he looked back at Lantern remorsefully, "I guess I was wrong."

"Well," Mai said thoughtfully. "We've all made mistakes." She stared at Kaiba significantly. "Mistakes can be forgiven."

Kaiba stared at Mai silently for several moments before nodding slowly and backing away into Seth's embrace. Kaiba rubbed his temples wearily. "I need to sit down," he said groaning. "I do not need this right now."

"I'll go find civilization," Lantern offered, feeling slightly out of place. "There's gotta be something out there," he said, looking out over the dry, hot terrain.

"No," Arrow said. "I'll go. Stay here."

"Arrow is right," Seth said to Lantern. "You are not a Shadow user or a telepath. It would be best if we monitored you to be sure there are no ill effects from such Shadow-heavy endeavors as you have just experienced."

"In other words," Mai translated with a smirk, "we need to be sure you don't start throwing up or anything."

Green Lantern nodded with an eyebrow raised ironically. "Good point," he said.

Mai winked and turned to Arrow. "I'll make sure the two of them," Mai pointed to Kaiba and John with a cheeky grin, "don't start fighting. Why don't the two of you head out and see what's going on and if there's a place to eat. I could use a Ladies' Room right about now."

Green Lantern watched Kaiba lean against the stone of the rocky mountainside and slide wearily to the ground so his head hung between his knees. Seth ran a hand gently up and down his Ka's back while whispering softly in Kaiba's ear. John felt sympathy for the Regent. He may not use the kind of magic Kaiba did, but he knew what it was like to feel overdrawn. He leaned again a stone outcropping close by and watched Mai plop down next to her Regent and Seth and begin to massage the back of Kaiba's neck soothingly.

Shaadi cast a worried glance after his Regent before following Arrow to the opening of the alcove. John met the vigilante's eyes and sighed, shaking his head. Arrow just grinned and vanished with Shaadi in a whirl of Shadows leaving John to buckle down for a long day. He would be thrilled if he could change into some civilian clothes. Maybe there was a laundromat nearby where they could...borrow some clothes. He winced at the thought but it was the only viable option at the moment. There was no way he was going to go prancing through another world in his uniform.

* * *

Arrow and Shaadi reappeared behind a ramshackle building just as a tumultuous crash rang out from inside. "Well," Arrow said snidely, "I guess we found a bar."

Shaadi was too polite to roll his eyes but it was painfully evident he wanted to. Arrow snickered and looked at their outlandish clothing. "Think we'll stand out?" he asked rhetorically.

This time he had to bite his lip to keep from laughing at Shaadi's aloof glare and lifted eyebrow. He shook his head and strode over to the back entrance. He was not exactly sure what they would find when they went inside the bar, but what they found certainly was not high on his list. A beautiful woman with long red hair and an oddly styled dress was leaning on the counter gazing at a group of dirty men wearing biker vests. A furious young woman was screaming at the man closest to the red haired woman.

"Duane," the closest man said to the redhead answering an unheard question. "It's my name. It's what she calls me. She's my wife."

"Yeah," the screaming woman hissed. "You bet your ass I'm your wife."

"Oh," the red headed woman said, sounding intrigued. "And do you prefer her to me?"

"Something is wrong," Shaadi whispered, his eyes flickering between the group of men and the red haired woman.

The woman must have heard them because she turned around and saw the two strange men. She stood and Arrow admitted she was beautiful, but she was not Felicity Smoak. He grimaced at the memory of the young woman who had become his girlfriend. The woman he sincerely hoped he could return to in one piece.

"Oh," she purred. "More guests. How nice." She noticed the bow and quiver of arrows on the vigilante's back and smirked. "Are you an archer?" she asked.

Arrow moved to answer when Shaadi placed a restraining hand on his arm. "Do not listen to her," the Adviser said urgently. "Her words are poisonous."

The woman seemed affronted. "Poisonous?" She turned to the man behind her, Duane, who was still being screamed at by his wife. "She is loud, Rooster," she said to him. "Make it stop?"

"Sorry love," Duane said, taking his wife head in his arms. "You're bothering Lorelei."

Arrow recognized the move before it was ever executed. He had used it often on perpetrators in his city. Before Duane could do more than grab his wife, the vigilante had whispered the Spell he had grown fond of and fired the arrow that appeared knocked in his bow. Duane cried out in surprise and pain, clutching his bleeding shoulder where a gleaming, golden bolt blossomed, melting into his body.

A moment later, he stiffened, blinking in shock. "Rosie?" he asked. "Oh my god, Rosie! Rosie? Honey, are you alright?"

Shaadi rushed passed the startled red haired woman -Lorelei was it?- and clasped the man's head between his hands, whispering in hurried Arabic before moving to do the same to the woman. Lorelei turned her gaze back to Arrow and glared, clearly displeased.

"What did you do?" she demanded.

Arrow again said nothing. He watched her carefully with another bolt already knocked and drawn, ready to fire at a moment's notice. Lorelei's glare became a sensual grin.

"Fast draw, I like that." She began walking towards him.

"One more step and I'll shoot," Arrow growled.

Instead of being intimidated, Lorelei shivered as if in pleasure. "Ooh, I love strong men."

"Do not listen to her," Shaadi called to his friend, helping the distraught Duane and confused Rosie back to their feet and out of the bar. "She will bespell you."

"I grow tired of you," Lorelei said, casually batting a hand into the Adviser's chest sending him flying back out a window.

"Shaadi!" Arrow cried, racing after his fallen friend only to be stopped by a feminine hand on his shoulder.

"Wouldn't you prefer me?" Lorelei breathed softly in his ear.

And suddenly, yes, he did.


	11. Mutants, Healing, and Frustration

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Helios and Mokuba get picked up, Kaiba is furious, and Seth is in a bind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** I'm uploading this now but I'll finish editing it tomorrow. I'm exhausted right now. Enjoy some Helios and Mokuba with some Kaiba and gang.

They flew but not as far as people would have expected. Helios had learned that once something drastic happened and the prey escaped, the hunters tended to circle further and further outward and very rarely came back to where they started. It made things somewhat easier for them to hide. It helped to be years older than the average person sometimes. Experience was everything.

Or so Helios thought. Euos had landed on the top of one of the bright skyscrapers. The lights helped muddle Helios's and Euos's inner glow. Mokuba pressed closer to the Titan seeking the warmth he radiated. They had decided to wait until later after the sun rose to make a break for it. If the flew towards the rising sun, they could lose their quarry in the blinding light, light that would not bother the solar Titan.

It was unfortunate that he would not get that chance.

The wind had started to howl and while it did not bother Helios or Euos, it did bother Mokuba. Eventually, Helios had no choice but to glide back down to the ground. His golden gaze flickered around the area before he reined his steed towards the river. They needed shelter. He could feel the cold front approaching, the clouds already moving overhead.

It seemed they would have to stay here for the day or ride through the rain. Once again, while it would not bother Helios, Mokuba would suffer. Mokuba was what mattered in this. Mokuba could die, Helios could revive.

"That was a mighty fine trick you pulled back there," a voice called, freezing Helios's blood.

Euos tensed, tail swishing, ready to run should he need to. Mokuba leaned around the Titan's body to see the person who had spoken. After a moment, Helios also turned and saw the strange human who could produce knives from his skin standing in an alleyway nearby. He made no sudden moves, just stood there and watched them.

Now that he was closer, Helios could see the man's features clearer. His face was rugged like a mountainside and his black hair was rough cut and mussed from the fight. Sideburns and a scraggly beard with a hint of a mustache adorned his face. He wore a black outfit consisting of a long sleeved jacket and pants. A small emblem of a red circle with an "X" in the center was visible on the his collar.

The man shifted his feet causing Euos to shake his head and step back. The man raised his hands slowly indicating he meant no harm and remained where he was. "I'm sorry you got involved," he called. "Are you and your friend alright?"

Helios did not speak but he nodded, the arm holding Mokuba close to him tightening slightly. The young Shadow user squirmed so he could have a better look at the strange man, cocking his head to the side slightly in interest.

"Who're you?" Mokuba demanded.

The man's lips quirked upwards in a wry smile. "A friend hopefully," he answered. "That power you used back there, was that a mutant power?"

"Mutant?" Helios asked. The man nodded and Mokuba looked up at Helios curiously. The Titan met the man's eyes carefully before asking, "If it was, what would you do with us?"

"Nothin'," the man said. "I don't like forcing people to do anything." He kept his hands up and took one slow, calculated step forward. "But if you want, I can take you to a place where you can be safe."

"Safe from what?" Mokuba asked. "You mean the people you were fighting?"

"Yeah, them," the man said. "But also other threats. Mutants aren't exactly..." He shrugged. "Well, you know."

They did _not_ know but given the circumstances, it would probably be best to act as if they did. "We're looking for my big brother," Mokuba called. "We... Something happened and we were separated. Can you help us find him?"

The man tilted his head and nodded thoughtfully. "I can try. But I know someone who may be able to help better than me," he answered.

"Who?"

"He's also a mutant," the man said. "He's got a place where we can be safe and he can help you look for your brother from there."

"And you swear no harm will come to us?" Helios demanded.

"Not unless you attack us first," the man said firmly. "We don't like starting fights we can avoid it."

"Helios," Mokuba said softly, lifting his eyes to the Titan's pleadingly. "He can help find Nii-sama."

Helios winced. He was beginning to understand why Kaiba always gave in to his little brother whenever the boy gave him that look. It really was efficient at tugging his heartstrings. He still felt wary of the stranger, not to mention the circumstances, but Mokuba was right. The man promised to help them find Kaiba and that as well as keeping Mokuba alive were his main priorities right now.

Reluctantly, he nodded. "Very well. We accept." Euos tossed his mane and neighed, stamping the ground in anticipation of another good run. "How do you plan to get us there?" Helios asked. No need to bring up the fact Euos can fly if he did not have to.

At that moment, a loud roar of an aircraft filled the air. The man grinned and pointed to it. "That."

"Will my horse be able to come?" Helios asked.

"Ah," the man hesitated, eyeing Euos cautiously. "Probably won't fit."

The Titan nodded and dismounted. "Then he will meet us at our destination," he said, helping Mokuba down after him.

"I doubt that," the man muttered but Helios ignored him.

"Euos," the solar deity said softly in ancient Greek, "when I arrive, I will come into the light so you can find me. Come in your own time," he said gently, scratching the soft hair between the stallion's eyes. "I will wait."

Euos, well used to this, simply dropped his head and stood obediently while his master and Mokuba hurried over to the oddly shaped aircraft. Helios cast one last look over his shoulder to his loyal friend before the metal door slammed closed behind them and they surged into the sky. Only then did he turn to see who else was in the craft.

He gripped Mokuba's shoulder protectively when he saw the woman who controlled lightning standing behind the pilot. Her clear blue eyes bored into him from a lovely tan face framed by long white hair that fell past her shoulders. She wore a black suit similar in style to the first man but she also wore a cape that hung loosely from her shoulders.

She gave them a cursory look before meeting the first man's eyes. "I assume you forgot to introduce yourself," she said in a chiding voice similar to that of a mother's. Her voice was delicate and well enunciated belaying the power Helios knew she controlled.

The man winced but turned to the Titan and Mokuba awkwardly. "Call me Logan," he said.

Mokuba studied the man closely before extending his hand. "Mokuba," he said.

Logan hesitated a moment of before taking the offered hand and shaking it gently. "Mokuba," he repeated. "That Japanese?"

Mokuba brightened and nodded enthusiastically. "Hai!" he chirped. "This is Helios," Mokuba said, pointing to the Titan beside him. "He's Greek."

"Greek, huh?" Logan asked before taking the Titan's hand more cautiously. "Never been there. Hear it's nice."

Helios clasped Logan's hand firmly. "It can be at times."

"Don't worry," the woman said, stepping up to take Logan's place giving him a wry smile. "He's not much of a talker. I'm Ororo Monroe."

"Monroe-san?" Mokuba asked.

"San?"

"It's an honorific in Japanese," Logan said. "It's the equivalent of mister or miss."

"You speak Japanese?" Mokuba gasped, a smile forming on his cherubic face.

Logan nodded, a careful smile growing on his face. "A bit, yeah," he said.

Helios felt sympathy for the poor man. Anyone Mokuba focused his trademark looks on very rarely got away without Mokuba getting what he wanted. And it looked like Logan was falling for it. Interestingly enough, it also appeared as if the man was aware of what was happening and was not sure how to deal with it.

Luckily for Logan, Miss Monroe stepped in. "I suppose that'll do then," she said with a soft smile.

Mokuba flushed happily and Helios sighed. From the looks of things, he and Mokuba may have found themselves allies. He only hoped their luck held out. A casual glance at the driver's face in the rearview mirror and Helios was met by a young man wearing an interesting visor. The pilot quickly looked away and Helios wondered if it was difficult to see with that visor on.

"So," the only other person present said. "Now what?"

"Now," the pilot said calmly, "we go back to the school."

"School?!" Mokuba cried. "But you promised you'd take us to a safe place! School is hell."

Helios bit his lip hard to hold back his laughter but his shoulders still shook. He had to cover his mouth with his hand when his breath started coming in gasps. The others seemed to relax at the Titan's obviously humorous take on the younger boy's comment. The pilot even smirked.

"Don't worry kid," he called back to them over the roar of the engine. "I think you'll like this school. It's a lot cooler than it looks."

Mokuba sat on one of the seats along the wall and sulked. "It'd better be."

Helios sighed and simply grabbed one of the handle bars along the ceiling and braced himself as the ride began to get bumpier courtesy of the disturbed air from the approaching cold front. Or was it the warm front now?

He carefully made his way to the front of the aircraft aware of the eyes watching him closely. He made sure to keep his arms and hands in full view at all times as he leaned close to see through the windshield curiously. They were fast approaching a line of clouds that he instinctively knew was a warm front. But that meant they were traveling a lot faster and further than he first anticipated. How far away was this school anyway?

When he voiced the question aloud it was the young girl who had yet to introduce herself who answered. "A ways," she said simply.

"It'll be a couple hours or so," Miss Monroe said. "It's on the east coast."

Helios nodded thoughtfully and murmured, "I see."

* * *

Kaiba sat bolt upright the moment he felt Arrow slip his watch. Numerous emotions and thoughts filled his head at once but most notably were shock followed closely by unrefined fury. He leapt to his feet and spun to face the opening to the alcove glaring out into the desert sun with hate filled eyes. Whoever dared to take what was his would pay dearly. He would make sure of that.

"Kaiba!" someone called, yanking his arm viciously.

He glared at the perpetrator for several seconds before realizing it was Mai. He forced himself to take a deep breath and calm down. He needed to be in control for this. Lashing out in anger would do him no good. He had to track his prey, regain what was lost, and think of a fitting punishment for the thief.

"Kaiba, what's wrong?" Mai demanded, her violet eyes gleaming with worry.

Kaiba's eyes narrowed. "Something's happened to kohai," he hissed. "He's gone."

"Gone?" Lantern gasped. "Where did he go?"

"If I knew that then the thief would be _dead_ , Lantern," the Regent snapped.

"Kaiba!" Mai said. "What about Shaadi?"

Kaiba felt his Shadows reaching out in all directions, searching, seeking, feeling for his Adviser. It bothered him how faint Shaadi's Shadow signature was. That meant he was likely unconscious or injured or both. Thankfully, because Shaadi was a member of the Court proper, his Shadows, no matter how faint, were still strong enough for Kaiba to get a close enough lock on his position.

"Lantern," he said as calmly as he could. "I know the trip here was...less than convenient. But do you think you can handle a potential fight right now?"

Lantern's green eyes widened in surprise before narrowing in determination. "I can." He held up his clenched fist, his Green Lantern ring gleaming in anticipation.

"Then take Mai's hand and get ready to fight," Kaiba commanded. He took his Sorceress's other hand. "Mai, don't let go."

He waited just long enough for Mai to tighten her hold on his hand indicating she and Lantern were ready before drawing his Shadows, thanking every deity in existence the Shadows were just as active here as on his home world, and Traveling. It took slightly longer than he would have expected both because he was unfamiliar with the terrain and flow of energies and Shadows in this world as well as because Shaadi's signature while strong was still not as strong and sure as he would have preferred. It worried him.

He tried to get as close as he could and managed to do so fairly well, but not close enough. When he and his group materialized from the Shadows, it was in the shadow cast by a large, black SUV. Gunshots were ringing through the air as was the sound of gasping and a soft thud.

Kaiba turned and saw Green Lantern on his knees breathing hard. He felt briefly sympathetic but he was more focused on the more immediate need to find Shaadi and Arrow. "Take care of him," he commanded Mai. "Stay Shadowed."

He did not wait for his Sorceress to obey, feeling her draw her Shadows around herself and Lantern, cloaking them in an inky blackness that only direct light could penetrate. It was nowhere near as powerful as the Regent's but Kaiba could not spare his Shadows at the moment. He was too busy reaching out with his Shadows for his Adviser.

A moment later, he felt Shaadi's presence grow stronger directly to the left and in front of a metal, cylindrical trailer...which was just kicked horizontally into the path of the oncoming bullets by a single woman. Kaiba yanked his own cloak of Shadows over himself when he recognized this woman. She was the very same who came through the rainbow light that forced his group into this godforsaken place in the first place.

He narrowed his blue eyes furiously, but pushed his anger aside. Shaadi was more important. Shaadi was _his_ , this woman was nothing but a distraction. At least this female-nothing managed to do something useful. When she kicked the trailer forward it covered Shaadi's body in natural shadow allowing Kaiba to both sense him more clearly and Travel directly to his side.

He quickly vanished and reappeared in the trailer's shadow beside Shaadi. His Adviser was coughing and struggling to breath. His chest was strangely collapsed like it had been dealt a crushing blow and his face and hands were covered with narrow cuts and glass shards. Something had crushed his chest and tossed him through a window. It made Kaiba livid.

But anger could wait, healing had to happen now. He quickly cast the Trap _Attack Guidance Barrier_ to protect him and Shaadi from any stray fire. Then he reached for his holster and pulled out his Deck. He quickly shuffled through his cards searching for something, some card that could help Shaadi. _Gift of the Mystical Elf_ could restore some of Shaadi's life but not nearly enough to matter, plus he would have to summon a monster for it to work in the first place. _Solemn Wishes_ could work but he would have to chant it over and over for it to heal the amount of damage done. That would waste too much precious time.

He was prepared to do just that anyway when he felt a tug from his Deck. He almost ignored it but figured what the hell, why not? He shuffled further and found a card he had only recently added to his Deck as a permanent addition, the Spell card _Emergency Provisions_. This was exactly what he needed.

He quickly pulled out his  _Mountain_ Field Spell card and added it to his small hand including _Attack Guidance Barrier_ , _Solemn Wishes_ and _Gift of the Mystical Elf_. He sent a quick prayer to Obelisk that this would work before chanting in hieratic, " _Emergency Provisions._ "

He felt his heka drain from his a bit faster than anticipated but he could deal with that. His Adviser came first. He felt the drain from the already active _Attack Guidance Barrie_ r Trap, the other Spell and Trap cards in his hand, and now as _Emergency Provisions_ drained him of more heka to activate and channel fresh, healing heka into Shaadi roughly the equivalent of 4,000 life points, 1,000 points per Spell or Trap. He placed a hand gently on Shaadi's crushed chest feeling the bones begin to move and reassemble into their correct places.

Shaadi winced and groaned. Kaiba quickly covered the Egyptian's mouth to muffle his cries of pain. He knew the healing process was agonizing but he could not afford to catch any more unwanted attention then what they already had. He could feel Mai's Shadows tug worriedly on his own. She was concerned about Green Lantern. This new world was turning out to be less hospitable to him than to them. There could be a scientific reason behind it but he did not have time to think about it at the moment.

A dark hand clamped on the Regent's muffling wrist and squeezed hard. Kaiba released a sigh of relief. Shaadi was beginning to breathe and his pained squirming was easing. Eerie orange eyes opened and focused on the Regent, the clouded pain fading from them leaving them clear. His now healed chest heaved as he took deep, filling breathes into his newly whole lungs.

Kaiba helped his Adviser sit up slowly noticing the gunfight had stopped around him. He blinked and looked around. The healing process had taken less than a minute but it had felt like forever. The people from the black SUVs were making their way towards the building, one running around behind it. The woman who was cosplaying a character from _Dungeons and Dragons_ stalked forward like she owned the place.

And naturally that was when she noticed Kaiba and Shaadi. Her sword was already drawn and she charged them but Kaiba did not worry. His Trap still held firm, sparking when it was struck and forcing her to redirect her attack on one of the other people nearby. The woman inadvertently attacked by the force of the Trap was of Asian descent and obviously knew how to handle herself.

She immediately dodged and aimed her weapon at the confused brunette cosplayer before they both turned back to Kaiba. The inky Shadows embraced Shaadi hiding his form from view with a dark film of Kaiba's creation. For several seconds no one moved, then a cry echoed from behind the building, male and familiar.

Arrow.

Kaiba quickly dropped his Trap and Shadow Traveled the short distance back to Mai, practically tossing Shaadi into her waiting arms before Traveling again. He worried about Lantern but was relieved with the way the metahuman was able to recover and attend Shaadi. Then he was back in the Shadows embrace, slithering through the dirty bar and out to the outer wall at the back of the building.

He was welcomed by the sight of a spare part graveyard half covered by a rusted metal roof held up by two metal poles. A woman with long red hair falling elegantly over her shoulders was seated calmly behind a man wearing black gear and bullet proof vest on a motorcycle. On a similar motorcycle next to the duo was Arrow.

Kaiba manifested as fast as he could directly in front of the group startling all three of them. "Kohai," he called.

Arrow stiffened but made no move to answer his Regent's call while the woman eyed the shadow enveloped figure who appeared before her like magic. Kaiba reached out with his Shadows and felt Arrow's Shadows muffled, restrained by something sickeningly sweet and lush like silk rope. It was disgusting and a desecration of the darkness. The Shadows should never be bound in such a way. The only explanation for this occurrence was...

"Who dares claim you as their's, kohai?" Kaiba hissed.

The woman whispered to the man in front of her, "Take me somewhere grand, deserving of a ruler." She reached out and grasped Arrow's arm firmly and added, "A Queen."

"I know just the place," the man in front of her said.

"Kohai," Kaiba commanded. "She is not your ruler. She does not own you."

"On the contrary," the woman said with a sultry grin, "I most certainly do." Kaiba shifted to an attack stance but never got the chance to react. He heard the familiar bang of a gun firing then the painful thud as a bullet struck him, followed by the urge to sleep.

Seth raged and took over Kaiba's body the moment he felt his Ka's soul lose consciousness. Unfortunately, he did not have control for more than a second before he was forced to dodge two oncoming motorcycles.

"Arrow!" he cried.

He could try to summon a Monster to pursue them but he was not a Ka and his heka was already significantly drained from Traveling to this world, Traveling several times within this world, casting several Spells and Traps, and now aiding Kaiba's soul, attempting to keep him alive and scanning his soul and body for wounds. He was surprised to find none.

He was tired, exhausted, drained and whatever the bullet that hit him was, it was not a normal bullet and something was trying very hard to drag his soul into unconsciousness as well. He would be damned before he let that happen. But he could not risk Shadow Traveling back to the Sorceress and Lantern. He was too weary and did not trust himself with that level of submergence with the Shadows in this state. It was too dangerous.

A gun cocked behind him and he counted yet another strike of this godawful, unlucky, Osiris accursed day. He turned slowly and was greet by the all too familiar sight of the unknown cosplayer woman and her sword held threateningly at his neck. He glanced down at her blade then up into her brown eyes. She was a warrior, Seth could appreciate that.

"Who are you?" she demanded. "First you appear within the Bifrost despite not coming from Asgard, then at the side of a wounded man, now here just as Lorelei escaped our grasp. Name yourself!"

"Lorelei," Seth whispered. The strange name oddly accented on his tongue. "You speak of the red haired woman."

It was not a question and this armored woman did not deign to answer it. The man behind her, a regular looking man with a high forehead and close cut light brown hair holding a gun, however, did.

"Yes," he said, his voice calm almost conversational. "Any idea where she went?"

Seth studied this man and the people behind him. They wore uniforms similar to that worn by the man who sat in front of the red haired woman on the motorcycle. The Ba remembered feeling Arrow's subdued and bound Shadows, perhaps the other man was also suffering from a similar bind.

"Are you with her or against her?" he asked in turn.

"Against," the brunette woman hissed. Her eyes flashed with unconcealed hatred and pent up frustration.

Seth did not release his hold on the enshrouding Shadows but nodded. "Then it appears we have a common enemy," he said slowly. "She has taken one of mine." He narrowed Kaiba's eyes dangerously. "I do not take too kindly to people touching my things without my permission."

Seth would probably regret claiming ownership of Arrow when Kaiba woke up and found out about this, but it was the better alternative to these people finding out about his existence. Speaking of, his vision began tunneling. Whatever was in that bullet combined with the magical and physical drain was finally beginning to take a more thorough effect.

He reached out to Mai, tugging her Shadows weakly. She responded by immediately Shadow Traveling to his side startling the armored woman and her companions. Seth ignored them and spoke softly in mumbled Japanese, "Don't let them know about Lantern yet. Have him follow us if he can."

The metahuman could be their ace for the time being. Mai seemed to understand nodding as Seth staggered. Damn it. It was too soon.

"Cover me," he gasped, then black.


	12. Sassy Sorceress and New Allies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Mai commands, Kaiba suffers, and Sif distrusts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** Sorry about the short chapter but I have a splitting headache and had a very emotion rollercoaster of a day. Long story short, the technology this school uses sucks and I'm paying for it in more ways than one. On the bright side, you get to watch Mai be a fiesty lady and order Kaiba around for the time being.

Mai felt Seth's Shadows growing more and more faint by the second so when he collapsed, she was ready to catch him. She felt Shaadi frantically reach out to her with his Shadows the moment he felt the Regent's Shadows fade. She quickly soothed them communicating Seth's last command as best she could. Shaadi's Shadows reluctantly retreated, probably to inform Lantern of the unexpected turn of events.

"Well," Mai said, dropping the Shadowy film that had up until that moment been covering her body. "Was that really necessary?"

The warrior woman blinked in surprise as did the other humans present. Mai lifted an eyebrow and stared at them. "You shoot my knight and then you don't have the decency to help me carry him? Whatever happened to chivalry?" She huffed and shifted so she attempted to stand, looped her arms under Kaiba's arms and tugging him up.

"Mage," the warrioress said in a tone that was almost a question.

"Actually we didn't shoot him," the Asian woman said, still holding her gun aimed at the blond.

Mai flipped her hair over her shoulder and continued to tug her Regent's limp form. Finally, she huffed and dropped him inelegantly on the ground. She would probably regret that later.

"Yes well," she sighed, blowing a stray blond curl out of her face. "You aren't exactly helping me either. Now, are you going to stand there like gaping fish, or are you going to help me carry my knight and track down the bitch who kidnapped one of my men and wounded the other two?"

The brunette warrior's eyes grew wide and she lowered her sword. "One of yours has been taken?"

"Yes," Mai said. "And if you didn't shoot him," she pointed to the unconscious form at her feet, "then that means the bitch did. Either way, my knight is unconscious, my Adviser is recovering, and my escort has been kidnapped by your enemy, now mine as well."

"What are you offering?" the nondescript man in the back asked, lowering his gun and stepping forward.

"My help and the help of my companions," Mai said. "I'm a sorceress. They are my protection detail."

"Not impressed," the Asian woman said.

Mai smiled. "Well, we were blasted by this _Dungeons and Dragons_ wannabe's rainbow beam," she said snidely. "Honestly, who would use such a flashy method of travel? So abrupt and obvious." She waved her hand dismissively and crossed her arms under her bosom sniffing disdainfully.

"It is called the Bifrost," the brunette snapped. "And you were in the way."

"On the contrary," Mai said, waving a finger chidingly. "We were there first. In fact, we were in the middle of speaking to someone when you so rudely interrupted. So, do you want my help or not?"

"We can handle ourselves fine on our own," the Asian woman said firmly.

Mai snorted in a very unladylike manner. "Yes, I see," she said, glancing over her shoulder where the motorcycles had ridden off to. "And you're doing such a good job. Alrighty then, have it your way. But don't be surprised if I and my men show up and take back what's mine. At least if we work together, we can keep from stepping on too many toes."

The man nodded with a considering expression on his face. "Phil Coulson," he said simply.

Mai smiled. "Mai Valentine, and yes, I'm aware of the jokes. I've heard them all before, believe me."

Coulson smiled gently. "My sympathies." Mai shrugged. "You said you were a sorceress?"

"I am," she said. "And it just so happens that I have the ability to track my man. Or rather," she looked down at Kaiba lying unmoving at her feet, "he has that ability. If my escort stays with the bitch then my knight can track them."

"You're offering us your services," the warrioress said, eyeing Mai suspiciously. "At what price?"

"Smart little lady, aren't you?" Mai grinned. "I want my man back. Oh, and first aid for my friends, particularly this one here. He has a nasty temper but he's the best I've got."

"That's it?" Coulson pressed.

"For now, yes," she replied. "The rest you can't give me."

"And what would that be?" the warrior demanded.

Mai narrowed her eyes in fury. "Payback."

* * *

Kaiba woke slowly. He felt drugged and groggy. In other words, he felt miserable. Instead of focusing on the absolutely murderous headache, he took note of the slender fingers brushing gently through his hair. It was almost motherly. He would know that touch anywhere.

Mai.

"Finally decided to wake up, I see," he heard the woman say. He could hear the smirk in her voice clearly. "How's my sleepy knight?"

Knight?

He opened his eyes and glared at his Sorceress groggily. She chuckled and sat on the couch next to him. Couch? The hell?

"I will keep calling you that until your reactions stop being so amusing," she teased, winking at him. Her Shadows brushed his hinting at something he needed a clearer mind to interpret.

"Oh good. You're awake."

Blue eyes darted to the man who spoke and was interested to see it was the nondescript man from the standoff right before Kaiba lost consciousness. The Regent thought quickly, or as quickly as his drugged mind could. He and Mai were free, a cursory search with his Shadows indicated Shaadi was nearby, and he was on a couch and not in a hospital bed. But where was Green Lantern and, more importantly, where was Arrow?

He forced himself to sit up, pressing a hand to his forehead when it pulsed to his heartbeat. Mai scratched his back soothingly.

"They call them Night Night guns," she said with a cheeky smile. "Isn't that cute?"

Kaiba rolled his eyes and immediately regretted it. "Shaadi?" he called.

"I am here," Shaadi answered calmly, stepping forward into Kaiba's vision.

"The grogginess should fade soon," the unknown man said drawing Kaiba's attention. He extended his hand. "Phil Coulson of SHIELD."

Kaiba eyed the proffered hand suspiciously. "Don't worry," Mai said. "He doesn't bite."

Kaiba glared at her mildly before taking Coulson's hand using it and Mai's shoulder to help him stand. "Kaiba," he said simply.

"It's alright," Mai said, standing next to Kaiba. "You can trust him. One of his men was taken as well. They were able to track him to Las Vegas of all places. That's where we are now." She met Kaiba's eyes with an open challenge. "I told them you're the best tracker I have." Kaiba's brow lifted and Mai grinned. "Think you can find two men, not just one?"

Eyes narrowing in understanding, Kaiba nodded. "So long as they stay close, most likely. But something was binding kohai's magic," he said, avoiding the word 'Shadows.' "As long as that's in place it will be doable but not easy," he finished.

He looked around the room, fascinated by the odd shape. Then he felt the vibrations and recognized why he kept feeling like he was falling. His eyes widened as he recognized the type of windows along the walls. He whirled and stared out the nearest window behind him and was surprised to find they were descending onto an open airstrip. They were on a plane.

"Nice, isn't it?" Mai said. "They call it The Bus."

"It appears they have technology unlike any we have encountered before," Shaadi said, leaning over to gaze at the engine on the plane's visible wing. "Perhaps you might consider adapting it for your jet."

Kaiba sent a sly glance back at his Adviser. "Perhaps."

"I have a few questions for you, if you don't mind," Coulson said. "Nothing serious."

Kaiba stood and looked at Mai as if for permission. She shrugged. "I don't see why not," she said.

Kaiba nodded and followed Coulson to the other side of the room. "What do you need?" he asked, disliking playing a submissive underling.

Coulson studied Kaiba closely for a moment before answering. "I'm told you can track my man," he said. "I have a member of my team working on it electronically as we speak." Kaiba's fingers twitched, wishing they had a keyboard under them as well to join the search. If Coulson noticed, he made no mention of it. "Is there anything specific you need to search?"

Kaiba glanced out of airplane window thoughtfully. "Find me a dark room and I can work from there," he said. "As I said, kohai's magic is subdued, most likely due to," he sneered, drawing on Seth's memories of the accursed woman's name, "Lorelei's interference. But as long as your man stays close to mine, I should be able to help narrow down the search."

Coulson nodded. "You resisted the Night Night gun fairly well," he said, changing the subject abruptly.

"The magic helps," Kaiba replied smoothly with a casual shrug. "As for Lorelei, what should I expect from her? How is she controlling kohai?"

"That's three times now you've used that word 'kohai,'" Coulson said. "What does it mean?"

"It's Japanese. Generically it means underling," Kaiba clarified. "I'm training him to use magic. He's my kohai."

"I see," Coulson nodded. "Does your man have a name?"

"Does yours?"

"Ward. Grant Ward."

Kaiba nodded. "Arrow," he said finally. "His name is Arrow."

"Arrow?" Coulson repeated incredulously.

"It's his title and until I get his permission, it's all I will give you," Kaiba said. "I don't trust you."

"Nor I you," Coulson replied, staring at Kaiba with interest. "I believe the Lady Sif can better explain Lorelei's...gifts."

"Sif?"

Coulson waved a hand indicating a person behind Kaiba. When the Regent turned, he was met by the cosplayer lady. Coulson simply slipped away down the hall leaving Kaiba to stare incredulously at his Sorceress currently speaking with the woman Sif. Shaadi was watching the exchange with an expression that was both faintly disturbed and interested.

Kaiba approached the group and was fascinated to realize Mai was _flirting_ with Sif. It should not have surprised him but it was still...odd.

"Sorceress," he said gaining Mai's attention.

Mai turned to him. "Knight," she acknowledged. Kaiba made a mental note to scold Mai later for choosing Yugi's pet puppy's title to use for him.

"I understand you know something of this Lorelei," Kaiba said to Sif, setting aside his annoyance for the time being. "What can I expect from her?"

Sif shifted her stance to a more even, balanced position, matching Kaiba's. He was mildly impressed despite himself. "She is a spellcaster. Her words can ensnare any man. Those with stronger minds require her physical touch in addition to her words, but the effect is the same."

"What happens to the men under her spell?" Mai asked.

"They remember everything," Sif answered. "Their memories, habits, and abilities remain intact. They are essentially in all ways that do not matter the same person. But in the ways that matter, they are not. Lorelei's spell makes her becomes the," she scoffed, "epitome of all their desires. The men will literally do anything she asks without question. They will even die for her."

Kaiba hummed and moved his gaze to Mai's. "I'll begin tracking him as best I can, but you know my limitations."

Mai nodded. "Sif has offered her room over there," she pointed to the walled room in the center of the plane further down and in the middle of hallway, "for your use. It should be dark enough and it's protected."

Kaiba nodded and made to move there when Sif caught his wrist. Annoyed, Kaiba stared at the woman with a raised eyebrow and waited for her to speak.

"I would like to watch," she said firmly. Her tone and face made it clear she was not giving him a choice. "I believe the magic you use is different then what I am familiar with. It is best to know your allies." Her eyes darkened in challenge.

Kaiba smirked, meeting her challenge. "I've heard that."

He walked away feeling Sif follow behind. Shaadi remained in the common area until he and Mai were alone before speaking softly in Japanese.

"Lantern is resting on the top of the fuselage above us," he said. "I am keeping watch over him as best I can but," he tilted his head, "it would be best if he came in soon. The sun and heat is intense. He is also vulnerable alone."

Mai nodded. "I'll let Kaiba know. If you get the chance, sneak him some civilian clothes and let him in. He can be our," she made air quotes, "'contact.'"

"Contact?"

"You know," she said with a wink. "The one we were talking to when Sif's rainbow light blasted us."

Shaadi nodded. "I feel I must ask and yet I am," he flushed slightly, "hesitant to do so."

"Well go on," Mai encouraged.

"When you were speaking to Sif..." he began. "You will forgive me but I was under the impression you preferred men."

"I have my preferences, yes," Mai said. "But I like to keep my options open. I don't really care what's in someone's pants. I know what I like."

Shaadi flushed and sat down on the couch, stuffing his arms into his sleeves. "As you say. However, keep in mind this is not our home. It would be best if we kept such interaction at a minimum."

"A one night stand never hurt," she said. "Besides," she stared at the open door Kaiba and Sif had entered just moments ago, "she's a strong woman. I respect that. It's attractive. She's also a nice bag of eye candy."

"And you say I speak oddly," Shaadi muttered. 

"You do."

"As you say."

Mai snickered. "You know, I think I like being in charge."

Shaadi gave a put upon sigh and closed his eyes to keep watch on Lantern flying above and outside the plane. It also helped him ignore the Sorceress.

* * *

 

Kaiba stepped into the room and ran his eyes over the strange wall design. This clearly doubled as a holding cell of some sort when Sif was not occupying it. He sat down on the cot and reached for his Shadows, breathing a soft sigh of relief now that they were back on the solid ground. He had learned from experience that Shadow magic tended to be limited when the user was no longer in contact with the Earth or there were no humans nearby.

His Shadows came to him more willingly than before. Apparently being unconscious for however long had helped him restore some of his power reserves. When he was ready, he reached out with his Shadows, extending them outward and into the nearby city of Las Vegas. The Shadows liked this city. It was wild, always awake, always twinkling, always dark, emotions cresting and tumbling, humans everywhere... It was an all you could eat buffet of ripe, lucious, tasty souls bursting at the seams with possibilities.

Kaiba reined in his Shadows, urging them to search, to brush every human they could reach and find Arrow. He did not dare allow his consciousness to drift with the Shadows with Sif standing so nearby. He did not trust her with that vulnerability. Instead, he allowed the Shadows to search how and where they will.

They were in the midst of slinking through the regular shadows in the Caesar's Palace when they felt a faint hint of another sentience they recognized. Before they could investigate, Kaiba took hold of them. He knew Arrow's Shadows were bound but even bound Shadows would respond to a touch however inadvertent. Instead, he guided his Shadows carefully around the sentience, feeling where it had been, where it was, and everything around it. He was careful to shy away when the sentience reached out with its limited reach. Unfortunately, the other sentience stretched further than expected and grabbed his.

It _was_ Arrow.

Kaiba cursed colorfully in both Japanese and hieratic, surging to his feet and racing passed a startled Sif and out into the common room. "I found him," he said quickly. "They're in the Caesar's Palace hotel. But they won't be there long. Arrow felt me."

"Then we have to hurry," Sif said, her hand grasping the hilt of her sword. "He will tell Lorelei and they will be gone before we get there."

"Let's hope not," Melinda May snapped.

"You stay here," Mai commanded, startling Kaiba. "You've used enough power as it is. I'm a woman and have combat experience. I can protect myself if need be." She raised a finger when Kaiba moved to counter her and spoke louder. "I want you to keep an eye on us and the area around us. Follow them and inform me if you find them moving."

"The hell I'm staying," Kaiba snapped.

"I will stay," Shaadi said calmly. "I can keep an eye on you both from here. Besides Kaiba may be able to help free Arrow. I will remain here with the light on."

Shaadi met Kaiba's gaze before flicking his eyes upwards to the roof. Kaiba groaned as he holstered his gun. Lantern was still here. Shaadi would have to make sure the man was alright. Lantern may not be a member of the Shadow Court but he was a human and inadvertently dragged into this by them. He was Kaiba's responsibility until they returned to their Earth.

"Good boy," Mai said ignoring Shaadi's indignant glare. Then the were off.


	13. Those Left Behind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we learn life goes on back on the world Kaiba and the gang left behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** Short but necessary. I meant to write Helios's part too but homework and my awesome roommates' sing-a-long fest thoroughly distracted me. XD

"J'onn? J'onn!"

The Martian came to slowly, the pain in his head still simmering. He groaned and opened his eyes. Wonder Woman was kneeling above him with, her lovely face scrunched in concern.

"Diana?" he muttered in confusion.

The Amazon sighed and at back in relief. "You had me worried there," she said. "I got a call from Raphael," she jerked her head to the bulky biker sitting nearby, "saying you'd collapsed and Green Lantern disappeared. Care to explain what happened?"

The Martian sat up slowly, pressing a hand gently to his temple. His mind was healing quickly but the after effects of the burn were still present. "It was unintentional but regrettable," he said calmly.

"What was?"

His yellow eyes met her blue as he contemplated his answer. "The deeper into Court they went," he began, "the more painful the experience."

"Painful?" Amelda asked, standing behind Diana and watching the scene with interest. "I've been to Court and it's not painful."

"It burns my mind," J'onn explained patiently. "Kaiba once said he thought it was the combination of raw power and incompatibility that causes it."

"That makes sense," Raphael murmured. "You're not human so the Shadows probably naturally reject you. Not to mention," he added wryly, "Kaiba's mind is not the sanest or calmest there is."

"I should hope not," Amelda snarked.

"But what happened to Lantern?" Wonder Woman pressed.

J'onn bowed his head. "I am ashamed to say the burn became too intense forcing me to retreat. The timing was the problem. Arrow felt my mind slip just as they were about to go to the other reality and tried to catch me, thinking I was being left behind." He raised his eyes. "He grabbed Lantern's mind by accident thus taking him instead of me."

"But Arrow is just a Shadow user," Diana said. "He's not a telepath."

"No," J'onn agreed. "But Lantern was touching me, helping me when the burn became too painful. He was trying to pull me out."

Diana nodded slowly. "So his mind was vulnerable."

J'onn yellow eyes dropped. "It was an accident."

Amelda sighed gustily. "You gave us a nasty scare, you know," he said. "Screaming bloody murder and all. Raph had to grab your communicator and call the whatchamacallit to get your friend here in a hurry."

"Watchtower," Diana said.

"That's it," Amelda chimed. "That thing."

"You have my gratitude," J'onn said to to Raphael.

The biker smiled and waved away the Martian's words. "Don't worry about it. Friends help each other out."

"Speaking of friends," Diana said soberly, "I have news of the bombing. The security tapes are still being recovered and checked for heat damage but several eye witnesses describe the person we believe may be behind the attack."

"The man on the white motorcycle?" J'onn asked.

"White motorcycle?" Amelda parroted.

Diana was already shaking her head. "I don't know what Lantern was able to tell you but we found the bomb to be archaic in style."

"He said that," Raphael agreed. "He also said it meant the bomber would've had to personally light the fuse."

The Amazon nodded. "Correct. The witnesses describe a young man, well built with short blonde hair standing near the side of the balcony. He called Mokuba over to help him with something when another man people describe as Kaiba, but whom I'm fairly sure was actually Seth, went out as well. According to witnesses, that's when everyone heard the gunshot, Seth vanished, and the bomb exploded."

J'onn shook his head ruefully. "It is similar but the man I saw had long blonde hair, not short."

Diana grimaced. "I thought you said that, but I wanted to be sure. No one knew who the man was and he was not on the guest list."

"So in other words, we're stuck until the videos are up and working," Amelda griped. "Fantastic."

"Diana, what is wrong?" J'onn asked, seeing the unspoken worry in the woman's eyes.

She sighed and gave in. "The description of the possible bomber is very close to Ares. I am considering showing them an artist's rendition of Ares to be sure, but..." She shrugged.

"You think it could be him."

"Ares? Like the Greek god of war Ares?" Amelda asked, brows furrowed in disbelief. He rolled his eyes. "Well now I've seen everything."

"I thought your gods did not like engaging another pantheon in battle," J'onn said.

Diana's eyes gleamed. "They don't. But this wouldn't be the first time he's gone against Zeus's wishes."

"Another pantheon?" Raphael asked. "What other pantheon?"

Diana and J'onn looked to the two Shadow users in the room in confused surprise. "The Egyptian pantheon," the Amazon said.

Amelda cackled. "Ares trying to arm wrestle Obelisk. Now that I'd like to see."

"No," the Amazon, lifting an eyebrow. "Kaiba and the Shadow Court."

"Kaiba?" Raphael repeated. "He's not a god, just the Regent."

"On the contrary," J'onn said calmly, "he is Set, the Egyptian god of storms and chaos."

...

_"The fuck?!"_

* * *

"How many is that?" Marik asked, eyeing the people slowly making their way back to their tents.

"Five now," the Thief said, studying the scenery closely from his crouched position.

He focused his red eyes back to the tents set up near and around the dig site. Most of the workers had turned in for the night but the occasional person was seen hobbling between the cloth encampments with a flashlight looking for the latrines. They were waiting for the all-clear sign from Ryou before sneaking into the place.

"One more and the tent should be empty," the spirit muttered. "Damn foreigners and their drinks."

"You're one to talk, Bakura," Marik chided, nudging the Thief's shoulder with his knee. "Speaking of, I'm impressed Ryou managed to get into this."

"His absentee father's an archeologist so it wasn't too hard," Bakura said. "It does make it difficult though now that the fucktard of a man's decided to join this 'expedition,'" he said using air quotes to demonstrate his disdain for the aforementioned man's words.

"When's he supposed to get here? Do you know?"

Bakura shook his head in frustration. "Ryou doesn't know either. He tried talking to Carter Hall again but the man insists the 'Curse of the Unknown Tomb' as he calls it is nothing but ridiculous nonsense."

"You think he would know better after the whole Shadow Thief debacle," Marik grumbled.

"That implies thinking," Bakura agreed. "Which the man does but not do along the lines we'd prefer. I think he does believe in the curse but sees it as a challenge to be met and defeated."

"Admirable but frustrating. Also pointless." Marik shifted to a more comfortable spot, pulling his dark robes closer around him, warding off the sand and desert wind. "Already two people have been sent away."

"The mechanical traps are working nicely but the spells have weakened significantly," Bakura said. "If I was still in the tomb robbing business, I would rate this one a seven on a scale of one to ten."

"Ten being?"

"The most difficult to get into," Bakura clarified. "But every day the rating goes down. The mechanical traps are working but not as well as I would expect. The spells are really what's taking affect."

"The first man was caught in a cave in, though," Marik said. "That wasn't part of the traps."

"No, but it's slowed them down." Bakura stiffened when he caught sight of the signal, a shadow figure of Anubis cast against the inner tent wall in the lantern light. He grinned. "You first or shall I?"

"Ladies first," Marik teased.

"Then by all means," Bakura said, extending his hand.

Marik glared, grabbed the Thief's arm, and yanked him along. Together they Traveled to the area just outside Ryou's tent. "Ryou," Marik hissed.

The light went out and the twosome Traveled inside, materializing in front of the Scribe. Marik quickly checked to be sure the zipper was pulled completely down before settling on the sleeping bag spread out across the tent floor. He lifted his eyes, quickly adjusting to the darkness inside the tent and grinned.

The moonlight was weak through the tent fabric but it was enough to see the way Bakura had firmly attached himself to his yadonoushi. Of course, the sounds would have given away what they were up to even if Marik had been completely blind. He crossed his arms and sat back to watch. It was a tasty display.

"You know," you whispered in Japanese, "if all you do is kiss him, I might just have to take you both."

"I'd like to see you try, Priest," Bakura growled.

"As if I would let you," Ryou said breathlessly, tilting his head back to let the dark spirit mouth his throat. "Besides, if you will give me," he gasped as teeth dug into his neck, "a chance to breathe-"

"Now where's the fun in that?"

"You'd be interested to know they may be getting close to the...mmm...door," Ryou sighed.

Bakura stopped his ministrations and eyed Ryou. "You're sure?"

Ryou nodded, catching his breath. "As sure as I can be," he said. "No one here actually knows the exact location of the tomb, just that it's in this vicinity."

"And I suppose Mr. Hall is heading up the search himself," Marik groaned. "Fantastic."

"There's some good news," Ryou said, taking a seat next to the robed Priest and leaning into his warmth. Marik lifted an arm and the seam of his robe so Ryou could snuggle. "The spells are working. At least one member of the group has been experiencing hallucinations and bad nightmares."

"Good," Marik said pleasantly. "I have my clan doing their best to cast their own spells and such, mostly for misdirection and confusion but..." He shrugged and began petting Ryou's hair. "We'll see how far that goes."

"Do we know how Kaiba's handling everything?" Ryou asked.

"That bastard's probably fine," Bakura said. "Although I am curious. How is he handling Mokuba going missing?"

"Not well," Marik said grimly. "Ishizu said he nearly fell apart. You felt it. For a minute there, the balance was...less than stable." Ryou and Bakura nodded. "There's another thing no one found important enough to mention. Apparently, Helios also vanished with Mokuba."

"Well well," Bakura grinned, plopping down in Ryou's lap so he stared up at his two companions from below. "What a fascinating turn of events this is."

"Indeed," Marik muttered. "I plan on making an official appearance tomorrow with the support of the museum, of course. Our exhibit has shown interest in the archeologists' 'finds,'" he said wryly. "I'm officially here to make sure everything hurries along smoothly. Unofficially, I'm here to cause mayhem. Ooh, I can't wait."

Bakura scoffed. "Typical."

Marik pinched the Thief's cheek hard ignoring the pained squawk from the offended party. "I hear your father's joining the dig," the Priest said to Ryou. "Any reason why?"

Ryou shrugged helplessly. "Afraid not. I'm guessing he heard about the dig then that I was here and decided to come himself." He sighed gustily. "Last I heard he was working for some museum in England."

Bakura hummed thoughtfully. "Then we may have competition." He glanced at Marik, his red eyes flashing. "Think you can handle it?"

"Of course," the Priest said in mock offense. "I can just throw you at them."

"I'm liable to hurt him."

"I wouldn't necessarily mind if you did," Ryou said surprising the other two. "Just don't make it too permanent. I am freeloading off him, you know."

Bakura cackled only for Marik to slap his hand over the idiot's mouth. "Shut up, dumbass! Do you want to get us caught?"

Bakura licked Marik's hand, clamping it in place when the Priest tried to jerk it away at the feel of the slobber. He bit down hard on the fleshy palm before finally allowing the Egyptian to pull his hand back.

"Disgusting," Marik mumbled, shaking his hand out with a disturbed expression.

"That's not what you said last night," Bakura purred.

"How do you know what I said or didn't say last night?" Marik snapped. "You weren't there."

"But you are now."

"What's that got to do with it?" Marik asked suspiciously.

"Care to find out?" Bakura asked, rolling onto his stomach and kicking his feet up behind him in a mock innocent pose.

Ryou groaned. "Is this really necessary? The last thing I need is for the others to wake up and hear you."

"Oh don't worry, they won't," Bakura said, waving away Ryou's words dismissively. "You won't have enough air to scream when I'm done with you."

"What?!"


	14. Astute Smiles and Decompression

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Mokuba and Helios meet Charles Xavier while several kinds of decompression occur.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** So sorry for the delay. Basically, school, work, and distractions. I watched the entire _Tears to Tiara_ anime both dub and sub and rediscovered my love for Egyptian and Celtic/Welsh mythos. In short, I'm seriously considering turning my Shadow Justice series into a completely original work.
> 
> **FYI:** When Kaiba starts talking about parts of the soul, he's referring to the Egyptians' belief that there are in fact five parts of a soul: the ka (the spiritual part), the ba (the physical part everyone sees), the heart (literally), the name, and the shadow. See where I'm going with this?

The group exited the aircraft, Helios and Mokuba more cautiously than the rest. Mokuba rubbed his eyes trying to drive the sleepy away after his nap on the plane ride. The hanger they walked into was large and spacious. Mokuba tilted his head back, turning in a full circle to see the entire space. It was cool.

When he turned back to the front, he was greeted by an older bald man in a wheelchair. The man smiled benignly at him and Mokuba could tell it made Helios's hackles rise. He looked up at the Titan and noticed the calm expression on his face. It was not Helios's usual calm, it was the expression he wore when he was assessing a situation.

The Titan could tell this was a man of power. This man was no god but he was powerful for a human. Unnerved but cautiously interested, Helios placed a hand on Mokuba's shoulder protectively. He glanced down and saw the boy's dark gray eyes watching him. Strangely, Helios felt his worry ease under Mokuba's gaze. Perhaps it was knowing someone close to another solar deity was by his side. No matter the reason, he felt calmer and Mokuba seemed to pick up on that.

The boy smiled and looked back to the older man with an expression that was both serious and cautiously hopeful. "Are you gonna help me find my nii-sama?" he demanded.

The man's smile grew. "Yes," he said. "My friends informed me of the situation. They also told me you helped them when Magneto attacked. Thank you."

Mokuba nodded but kept his eyes focused determinedly on the man. "Are you going to help me find my nii-sama?" he insisted.

The man's eyes glittered with gentle pride. "I will do my best," he said. He extended his hand and said, "My name is Charles Xavier, but the students here tend to call me Professor X."

Mokuba blinked, a faint blush coloring his cheeks. "E...Ess-Essavier?" he stuttered through his accent.

Xaviers laughed gently in a way that was in no way mocking. "I suppose the 'x' is a bit difficult for you to pronounce," he said gently. Mokuba's blush deepened. "How 'bout you call me what you like, hm? Would that make it easier?"

Mokuba tilted his head to the side thoughtfully before speaking in a hesitant voice. "Charles?"

With Mokuba's accent, it sounded like 'Shah-ru-su' but again, Xavier never mocked him. In fact, he seemed impressed. "I must say, you have a very good grasp of English for one your age," Charles said, smiling encouragingly. "I'm guessing Japanese is your first language." Mokuba nodded and Charles hummed before turning to Helios. "And you are Greek, I understand?"

Helios nodded. "I am," he replied. "Although I would like to know how you know these things when the people on board your aircraft never once communicated with anyone other than themselves."

Charles's smile became a grin. "You noticed. I am somewhat of a telepath," he said. "They did communicate with me, just not verbally."

"Not somewhat then, but a significant amount," Helios said.

"Well," Charles said modestly. "I am not all-knowing, if that's what you mean. I can simply read people's minds and communicate to them the same way."

"I doubt the use of 'simply,'" Helios insisted gently.

"Perhaps you're right," Charles agreed. "Although, if we are to say 'simple' does not refer to my powers, then I would say the same goes for you." His eyes were old and wise but strong and calm. "It was your power that saved my comrades, is that not so?"

Helios nodded. "It was."

"Fascinating," Charles murmured. "Ah, where are my manners? Come with me. I'll take you to my office. We can talk more comfortably there."

Mokuba moved to follow the older man with Helios close on his heels, a hand still on the small shoulder. He hurried up to walk by Charles's side and asked, "Can you really read my mind?"

"Yes," Charles said with a laugh. "Although, I do believe in privacy and don't make a habit of reading other people's minds if I don't have to. I consider it rude."

"Like listening to someone else's conversation?"

"Yes, exactly like that," Charles agreed. "You wouldn't like it if I eavesdropped on a private conversation between you and your brother, would you?"

Mokuba shook his head. "No," he admitted. "But my nii-sama would be mad. He...doesn't really like telepaths. He'd probably punch you."

"Would he indeed?" Charles asked, ignoring the way the one called Logan twitched.

Mokuba nodded seriously. "He doesn't like other people barging in on his business."

"I don't blame him," Charles agreed.

They stepped out into the open air and Helios paused. The school was lovely and nestled in a quiet valley surrounded by mountains and numerous trees. It had a calm and welcoming atmosphere that belayed the war zone Helios and Mokuba had been met with when they first came into contact with the residents onboard the aircraft with them. He stared at the people and realized almost all of those visible in this early morning sunlight were children wearing casual clothes and backpacks.

"It really is a school," he murmured.

"Yes," Charles said. The group of warriors they had been traveling with broke off and meandered away. "They are going to their classes so you'll forgive our companions for leaving. They are all either teachers or students and lateness is never a particularly good thing."

Mokuba chuckled and even Helios smiled. "Yeah, nii-sama always insisted I finish all my homework on time even though he skips class all the time. But at least he's on the honor roll so it was never a big deal for him."

"Is it hard for you?" Charles asked.

"No," Mokuba chirped. "It's, well not easy, but it's not hard. English is a pain but Arabic's harder to write."

"You're learning Arabic too, are you?" Charles asked impressed.

Helios stepped forward to push open the doors to what he assumed was Charles's office. The man flashed him a smile and a grateful, "Thank you," before wheeling inside. Sure enough, it was an office. It was old and built of a rich, dark wood that was very likely oak or mahogany. Charles disregarded the desk and wheeled over to the window on the left side of his desk instead

"I do enjoy watching the sunrise, even if the actual sunrise itself is over," he said, staring out the window. "The colors are always beautiful, and it makes getting up early worth it," he added wryly. After a moment of silence, he turned back around to face his two guests. "Now how about we introduce ourselves?"

"I thought we already did," Mokuba said curiously.

"We did, yes," Charles agreed. "But it was a bit hurried and I'm sure you have questions for me. Isn't that right?" The boy blushed but nodded firmly. "Well then," he waved to one of the two chairs nearby, "go ahead. Why don't you start."

Mokuba plopped down in the chair that was the most stuffed, bouncing slightly on the overstuffed leather. Mokuba pulled his legs up, tucking them under him so he sat crosslegged on the chair. When he was comfortable, he stilled. Helios sat in the chair next to Mokuba's straightening his back, crossing his legs, and resting his arms on the armrests. He did not speak, choosing to let Mokuba ask the first questions.

"You said you can help me find my nii-sama," Mokuba said firmly. "How?"

"Well, it would help if I knew what happened to separate you two first," Charles said. "It would help narrow down where and how to search. Can you tell me that?"

"Before we answer that," Helios said, "I would ask what this place is. Also, why and who were your people fighting? From what I saw, many people and establishments not involved in your conflict were damaged or harmed."

Charles's expression grew solemn. "Ah, yes. That was unfortunate."

Normally such an answer would have set Helios's hackles rising, but in this case, he could see Charles was indeed bothered by the news. He wisely chose to remain silent until Charles finished speaking.

"We, and by 'we' I mean everyone in this school, are mutants," Charles began.

"You don't look creepy," Mokuba said.

Charles smiled. "Not all mutants look different. In fact, the only true difference between us and the rest of the human race is the X gene which is what makes us mutants in the first place. Each mutant is different in both appearance and ability. I have the gift of telepathy. Logan has an incredible healing gift. Others can teleport, change their form, control fire, there are any number of abilities mutants can have." His face saddened. "Unfortunately, that is what frightens the humans."

"The fear of the unknown," Helios said quietly. "Of what they do not understand or comprehend. It is a malady many have suffered."

"Judging by your words, I would say you yourself have suffered such discrimination," Charles said astutely.

"I have."

"So have I," Mokuba said. "But it's okay. I don't need them. I have everything that matters." He beamed and Charles chuckled.

"I like your attitude," the mutant man said. "My group, those you've met, we choose to defend the humans against the mutants we were fighting against when you were unfortunately involved. While I and my people wish to live in peace with the humans, the others under Magneto wish to get rid of the humans so only a world of mutants remains."

He sighed. "Unfortunately, many humans are not as grateful for our help. Many wish we would just go away and some go to great lengths to hunt down and kill mutants simply because we are different and they fear us. But we are still... Many children here were born to fully human parents. The humans are still our families, friends, people we love. Not all humans are cruel."

"It's the idiots who ruin it for the rest of us," Mokuba grumbled. "Yeah, I know the feeling."

"Yes," Charles nodded. "Now, I have a question if you don't mind."

"Okay."

"You are not mutants," Charles said. "Nor are you humans," he added.

"Yes I am," Mokuba said, fixing his huge dark gray eyes on Charles.

Charles smiled. "Well, perhaps I misspoke. You may be humans but you are not  _normal_ humans, are you?"

Mokuba blinked but it was Helios who spoke. "What makes you say that?" he asked curiously.

Charles eyed Helios significantly with a wry smile tugging his lips. "I recognize the...call it telepathic signature, if you will, of a mutant. Neither of you have that. But you also do not come across as normal humans. So I'm going to guess you are, in fact, magic users of some kind. Is that correct?"

"Well, he is," Mokuba said, pointing to Helios surprising the Titan. "I'm learning but I'm not that good yet. Nii-sama teaches me when he can."

"You're brother is also a magician?"

Mokuba nodded proudly. "Yeah. He's awesome."

"I'm sure he is." Charles nodded thoughtfully before speaking again. "I have a friend who may be able to help more than I can. He's a magician as well and has more connections to the magical world than I do. I could give him a call, if you wish."

"What's his name?" Helios asked.

"Doctor Strange," Charles said. He chuckled at the expressions on his guests' faces. "Yes, it is his real name. And yes, he is a bit odd. But he is truly a likable fellow if I do say so myself."

"May we have time to consider it?" Helios asked.

"Of course," Charles nodded. "Until then, you are welcome to stay here. In the meantime, I will do my best to help find your brother. You are welcome to attend classes if you wish."

Mokuba hesitated, stuffing his hands in his lap. "Can I not?" he asked.

Charles laughed. "Oh come now, school isn't all that bad. There are lots of people here you age, younger, older, all with powers. You could make friends. It would help if I knew what academic level you're currently in."

Mokuba sulked and muttered something in Japanese. After a moment, it became clear Charles was quite willing to wait as long as he had to for the answer. Helios had an abundance of patience blood, sweat, and tears had built up over time. Mokuba was young and his patience was typically only reserved for his big brother. Thus, it did not take long before he grumbled aloud in English, "Senior...in high school. Or," he chirped louder, jolting upright as a thought occurred to him. "I think that's...yes, that's the equivalent, I think."

"And you?" Charles asked, turning to Helios. "College, I'm assuming."

Helios sighed and nodded in what was not quite agreement. "I believe that is close enough, yes. Although, to be honest, I have not attended school in years. I, how do you say, graduated several years ago."

Charles blinked and Helios had the distinct feeling he was reading more into that statement than he would have liked. A moment later, the feeling was gone and Charles's eyes became more serious. "I see," he murmured. "I hope you don't mind but I took the liberty of clearing out a room for you two to stay in. You're welcome to stay as long as you need to on the understanding that you do not harm anyone here and tell no one where this place is."

Mokuba's eyes darkened warily as he nodded. "But I can tell nii-sama if we find him?"

"I would rather you not," Charles said. "However, if we find your brother, we will take you to him. How does that sound?"

"Well, you see, if my nii-sama finds me first, he'll come and drag me away." Mokuba snickered and smiled proudly. "He's done it before."

"He is not known for his," Helios hesitated, "subtlety where Mokuba is concerned."

"I see," Charles hummed. "May I ask, how did you get separated?"

"We were attacked," Helios said. "I'm not sure how we got here or where we are exactly, but-"

"They blew up the balcony we were on and we fell," Mokuba said. "They shot nii-sama and I accidentally let go of his hand."

"It was not your fault," Helios said gently, resting a hand on Mokuba's shoulder. "We will find out who did it."

"I know," Mokuba nodded morosely.

Charles again adopted the hazed expression of someone reading much more into that statement than was originally intended. He nodded to himself before speaking. "My condolences. I'll call my friend to take you to your room. Breakfast should still be available and lunch will be at one. Come whenever you feel like it."

Helios stood, taking Mokuba's hand just as the door to Charles's office opened revealing Logan. The man acknowledged them with a half smile and gestured for them to follow him. Just as they were about to walk through the door, Charles called out.

"Helios," he said earning the Titan's attention, "do you know anyone named Thor?"

Thor, the Norse god of Thunder, lightning, and strength among other things. He was an Asgardian god known for his temper and his chariot pulled by powerful goats. Of course Helios knew of him, very few gods did not, but he had never met the god face to face. Then again, why would a mortal such as Charles ask him such a thing? Unless, in this place not only were mutants and magic commonplace but did gods walk among men with their full knowledge?

"I know _of_ him," Helios admitted. "I do not know many who have not at least heard of him, but I have never met him. Why do you ask?"

Charles shook his head as if dismissing the thought. "I apologize, I guess I was mistaken," he said. "Do feel free to sit in on the classes if you wish."

"I may."

* * *

When they burst into the room, Kaiba already knew they were too late. He could not feel Arrow's Shadows in the vicinity. So when everyone else ran in, guns held at the ready, and Sif hefting her sword, he and Mai strode in more calmly. But knowing his kohai was not here did not mean Lorelei or the other man was here. Just in case, Kaiba and his Sorceress had Spells and Traps at the ready. They never had to use them and Kaiba could not decide whether he was relieved or annoyed.

The constant calls of, "Clear," were annoying, however; especially since they confirmed what he and Mai already knew. They had come all this way for nothing, and it was his fault. He had been careless and thought Arrow's Shadows had been too bound to notice him. It was maddening knowing he had been so close only to fail because of his own carelessness. It was Mokuba all over again.

He stood silently fuming. Mai placed a hand on his arm both to comfort and calm him as well as to warn him. Others were present. He could not lose control right now.

"They're gone," the woman Melinda May said curtly.

"Yes," Sif snarled. "And taken your men with her." It was obvious Sif was struggling to control her own temper. "But at least they have not been gone long. Can you track them again?" he demanded Kaiba.

He sighed and reached out with his Shadows, feeling the ebb and flow of the city, the pounding music, the cheers and cries of the people, but not Arrow. Frustrated, he shook his head. "They aren't in the city," he said.

"Can you look further than that?" Coulson asked.

Kaiba tried but felt a twinge warning him he was reaching his limit. Traveling to another world had not been easy and he needed sleep, _real_ sleep not the unsatisfactory kind gotten from unconsciousness. He was also unfamiliar with the Shadows here. They knew him and he knew them, they acknowledged him as their Regent and he ruled them, but that did not mean he had absolute power over them. He would need the Pharaoh and the King present for that.

"No," he said simply.

"So much for that," May said. "We can have Skye search for them again."

Coulson sighed in defeat and with one last look around the empty hotel room, nodded and walked away. Mai and Kaiba fell into step behind Sif and Melinda. The SHIELD soldiers remained behind to sweep the room for evidence.

"Sorry we couldn't be more help," Mai said.

"You managed to track them here," Sif said. "That was helpful."

"And it was my fault they got wind of us," Kaiba ground out.

"We all make mistakes," Coulson said. "You can make up for it by helping us find them again."

Kaiba pressed a hand to his forehead and rubbed his temple firmly. He could feel a headache growing behind his eyes. It was growing in intensity slowly but surely. He was not sure when it had actually started, but he was aware of it now which meant it was trying his patience.

First Mokuba and Helios, now Arrow. How many more was he going to loose before they could get out of this Ra forsaken world?

"Kaiba," Mai asked gently as they climbed into the black SUV, her voice breaking through the growing headache, "are you alright?"

Kaiba sighed, aware of Coulson and Mai's attention on him even if they were not looking at him. "Headache," he mumbled in reply.

"I don't have any Tylenol, hon, sorry," Mai said. She placed a hand on his thigh and rubbed. "It wasn't your fault, you know."

Kaiba ignored her. She was wrong. He should have come to this place alone, not with a group. The first chance he got, he was going to attempt to send his companions back to their home world. He did not want to be responsible for more friends disappearing.

Friends.

"If you were Ward," Coulson asked generically as he and May walked back up the hanger into the Bus, "where would you go?"

Mai stepped onto the hanger door and paused, realizing she was alone. She turned around and saw Kaiba standing on the ground behind her. Sif turned when she no longer heard footsteps behind her. She noticed the confused and worried expression on the Sorceress's face and the focused expression on her knight's face.

"Welcome back," a heavily accented voice Mai remembered belonged to the young scientist Fitz called. Both women turned and saw a young man with curly dirty blonde hair. "I fixed Lorelei's collar," he said.

"Are you certain?" Sif asked, stepping forward, eyes bright with excitement. "The ore of Asgard is different from those on your planet."

"Planet?" Mai wondered.

"Well, I fixed it," Fitz said, shrugging with a proud smile on his face. "You can come inspect it if you'd like. It's in your room."

"I will, thank you," Sif said, stalking off after the young man leaving Coulson, May, and Mai behind in the hanger.

Mai turned back to where Kaiba was still standing, his long white sleeveless trench coat rippling in the desert breeze. He was staring out at the vast expanse behind the Bus and searching for Arrow with his Shadows. Mai sighed and walked back to her Regent.

"Mai," Coulson called. Mai turned to the man with a smile and waited for him to continue. Coulson glanced at Kaiba and sighed. "We'll find your friend," he said seriously.

Mai smiled. "I know," she replied turning back to Kaiba with a sigh. "He does too. He just..." She shrugged and walked back out to Kaiba. "How long do you plan on standing out here?" Kaiba glanced at here before closing his eyes once more. "Hey, we'll find him. Don't worry." Kaiba ignored her and Mai patted his arm. "Come in when you're ready. I'll let you know if they want to move."

With that, she walked back up the hanger door and into the Bus where Coulson was waiting leaving Kaiba alone. Kaiba waited until he was sure Mai and the others had gone inside before heaving a sigh and turning back to the Bus. He stepped into the shadow cast by the plane and Travelled up to the shadow cast by the tail on the top of the fuselage. Sure enough, there was Green Lantern all but twiddling his thumbs.

"You know," the metahuman said calmly, "some people would call this reckless abandonment."

Kaiba said nothing despite how badly those words reflected his own thoughts. Instead, he simply walked up to the plane's tail and leaned against it aligning his back with the leading edge. He crossed his arms and just stood there.

"Hey, you alright?" Green Lantern asked, worry coloring his words.

Kaiba tilted his head back so it rested against the tail and groaned. Green Lantern nodded with weary emphasis. "I know what you mean," he said. "Let me guess: headache, slightly dizzy, tired, somewhat disoriented?"

"Not quite," Kaiba said at last. "A headache, yes, but none of the other things." He opened his eyes and stared at Lantern. "Why? Are you experiencing those symptoms?"

Lantern nodded. "Yes, to varying degrees. Sometimes it's worse, other times it's almost nonexistant."

Kaiba hummed absently. "It's possible you have a version of yourself living in this world currently. It's creating something similar to a paradox which in turn is causing you to react the way you are." He looked over his shoulder at Las Vegas in the distance thoughtfully. "It makes me wonder..."

"Wonder what?" Lantern asked, standing up.

"If you have another version of yourself living here, then that means you either did not exist in the ancient past or you did and were reborn. Which begs the question," Kaiba turned to face Lantern squarely. "Why am I not experiencing this?"

Lantern nodded slowly in comprehension. "I see what you mean. The same goes for Mai and Shaadi."

Kaiba shook his head. "Shaadi would be in the same situation and you and me, yes, but Mai did not live in Ancient Egypt like we did, neither did Arrow. They are the ones I think may experience the greatest impact from possible paradoxes."

"Playing Devil's advocate here, this is a different world, not another time on our world," Lantern argued. "Wouldn't paradoxes only occur on the same world?"

"No," Kaiba corrected. "Paradoxes occur when there are more than one of the same unique thing existing in the same place and time. In other words, if you are experiencing a possible paradox, then you have another version of youself living here in this world, at this time, somewhere nearby. I'm not experiencing anything meaning I either don't exist now under the same circumstances as you or I did exist and died or I have yet to exist. Or I never existed to begin with."

"Then," Lantern asked curiously, "by that definition, wouldn't you and Seth and the Pharaoh and the King be creating your own paradoxes?"

Kaiba shook his head again. "No because in our case, we are exactly the same being. Not two versions of one being, but exactly the same being."

"So your situation is like cuting a single block of cheese into several slices," Lantern said. "Because it's the same original block of cheese, it doesn't cause a problem."

"More or less," Kaiba said with a smirk. "I take it you're hungry."

"You have no idea," Lantern groaned.

Kaiba snorted. "Seth and I are two halves of the same soul. Or, more accurately, two parts of the same soul. It's actually more complicated than that, but...basically, we are the same person." He shifted to a more comfortable position before contining. "We can occupy the same space with no problem because we are the same entity. I say that, but while I may dabble, I'm not an astrophysicist by any means so everything I say is purely from my own understanding."

Lantern shrugged. "Makes sense." He turned to face Las Vegas too. "Shaadi spoke with me after you left. He told me what happened. Since you're up here and I didn't hear Arrow with you, I'm assuming you missed them."

Kaiba nodded. "Unfortunately," he said, eyes narrowed in anger. "Where did Shaadi go after he talked to you?"

"He said he was going to look around. Apparently, there's a girl in a small medical facility down in the bowls of this thing. I get the feeling Shaadi's curious."

Kaiba shuddered. "A curious Shaadi is a dangerous Shaadi."

"Curiosity killed the cat?" Lantern joked.

Kaiba snorted good naturedly. "Stupidity killed the cat. Curiosity was blamed."

Suddenly, a loud roar interrupted their banter and the plane jolted into motion knocking Kaiba off balance. He flailed catching the tail with his fingertips before another jolt jostled him free. He would have tumbled down the fuselage had a solid green light not caught him and pulled him back. The next thing he knew, he was in a globe was green light hovering beside Green Lantern who was busy flying above the giant aircraft.

"I thought you said Mai would tell you if we were leaving," Lantern called over the noise.

"She would have," Kaiba called back. "If she'd known."

"Then why are they taking off now?"

Kaiba could not answer that. Unless... Stupid _idiot!_ He had been so focused on searching for Arrow outwards and away from him that he never bothered to search the area close to him. And of course, now that he had no contact with a physical shadow, he was all but useless. Shadow magic was powerful and sneaky and wild, but it had its limits just like all other magic. Without a physical connection to the Shadows, Kaiba could not search for Arrow with his powers.

Just then, a hatch in the roof of the fuselage a couple yards in front of them opened up revealing a dark room below. Objects and air rushed out as the room rapidly decompressed. Legs became visible followed by the faintest hint of blonde hair. Several moments later, Mai flew out of the compartment followed closely by Sif.

"MAI!" Kaiba cried, leaping towards her only to be stopped by the solid green light.

Lantern swung the globe of green light into their path, opening it quickly enough to catch them. Mai slammed back first into Kaiba, throwing him against the back of the globe. The warrior woman landed on top of them to Kaiba's distress. He gasped and coughed as the wind was knocked out of him.

Mai moaned and opened her eyes to see a haggard, windswept, and stunned Sif directly on top of her. "Well hi," she said breathlessly, her chest heaving and her body shaking from the adrenaline rush.

"Get _off!_ " Kaiba gasped beneath the Sorceress, pushing the two women off of him so he could roll over and cough, trying to catch his breath.

"Welcome to the straggler's unit," Lantern called to the newcomers.

Sif stood hunched due to the globe's small size and whirled around, taking in the solid light and the man flying nearby who was obviously in control of the light. "What sort of magic is this?" she exclaimed.

"The kind that just saved your life," Kaiba said, pushing up into a crouched position as did Mai. Three people in the small orb cramped the space but Lantern did not increase the size because the smaller the orb, the less drag Lantern had to deal with and the faster he could fly.

"You saved my life," Sif called to Lantern, hooking a copper colored ring to her belt. "For that I am grateful. I am in your debt."

"While I want to go skydiving one day," Mai snarked, "doing it without a parachute is a big no-no."

"Skydiving?" Sif wondered. Dismissing the strange reference, she turned back to Green Lantern. "I assume you are a friend of SHIELD," she said.

"Our friend more than their's but yes," Mai answered. "He knew Arrow before we met."

Sif nodded. "Then could you get us back inside the flying vessel?"

"You mean through the decompressed room?" Kaiba asked sardonically. He noticed the roof closing up again, narrowing his eyes with interest. That meant it was likely decomprssed deliberately. "Unless you want him to bust through the plane causing it to rapidly decrompress, possibly bringing it down and killing everyone on board, we'll have to wait for another opening." He met Sif's eyes with his own glacial blue. "How about you tell us what happened? Where's Shaadi and the others? And how did that room get decompressed?"

Sif's eyes narrowed hatefully. "Lorelei snuck aboard and has taken over the craft."

"Lorelei," Lantern repeated. "Shaadi told me about her. She's the one who took Arrow." His hand curled into a fist before he regained control of his temper. "I never saw anyone board the plane until you guys came back."

"She has Arrow and Arrow has Shadow magic," Kaiba said. "You would not necessarily have seen them come if they did not want you to."

"Yeah, but Arrow knows about me," Lantern argued. "Why didn't he try to attack me?"

"He does, yes, but he doesn't know _where_ you are," Kaiba countered. "As far as he is aware, you're staying close to us."

"Which is true," Mai said. "Except we left him behind when we chased after him." A sly grin stretched her lips. "And because he doesn't have Shadow magic-"

"Arrow probably can't sense him," Kaiba finished.

"You are more than just a knight," Sif said shrewdly.

"Knight?" Lantern called. "You mean Joey?"

Kaiba almost retorted but the hatch opened again and he decided getting into the plane was the main priority. Thankfully, so did Lantern.


	15. Lost and Found

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which that which was lost is found, Judgement is swift, and the shot felt through the realities is fired.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** This is a long chapter and a lot happens so I keep this short. Just a couple quick things: First, the five parts of the soul mentioned in here are legitimate. Look them up if you want. It's very interesting.
> 
> Secondly, I literally listened to the sobg _Icarus _by Ivan Torrent on loop for 7 hours straight while writing this. No joke. Also, that song is Helios's character theme. It's beautiful. Listen to is ASAP.__
> 
> Lastly, shoutout to one of my reviewers _zelka94_. She's drawing fanart for this. **FANART!!!** I've _never_ for something I've written before. So. Freakin'. Excited. Y'all, she can draw like nothing else. Stay awesome _zelka94_.  
> 

"Do you feel that?"

"I do."

"Do you think he's alright?"

A sigh. "If he's not, he's unlikely to tell us."

Yugi slumped in depression. "I thought... I mean, I thought he knew by now that if he ever needed help, all he had to do was ask."

Yami pulled Yugi close, resting his chin on his partner's head. "His pride is a huge part of him. This was true even when he was Set. He as grown over the past several years, but a few years of trust is hardly enough to undo years of abuse. The fact he's grown as much as he has, as _fast_ as he has should be applauded."

"I know," Yugi said. "I am proud of him. He's a loyal friend." He sighed and tangled his fingers in his Ka's. "Any news from Egypt?"

"Marik reported in late last night," Yami confirmed. "The majority of the work has stopped due to internal politics at the museum."

"Courtesy of Marik, I bet," Yugi snickered.

"Marik and Ishizu, actually," Yami answered. "Turns out, Ishizu has a much higher standing in the eyes of the museum than Carter Hall. When she throws her weight around, people notice."

"Are you implying she's fat?" Yugi teased.

"If you mean fat with power, then yes," Yami said seriously. "She and her family have had a close relationship with the museum for generations and have provided most of the artifacts on display there. If Ishizu pulls out, she takes everything her family let the museum display with them. Naturally, the people in charge don't want that so they're listening to her."

Yugi leaned back. "That's...wow. I mean I knew she had some sway with them, but not to that extent."

"But it does make sense considering the different thing's she's been allowed to get away with," Yami commented. Yugi shrugged and nodded as his Ka continued. "That said, she warned us Kaiba has not been...well."

"From his tomb being uncovered, you mean?" Yugi asked. "I don't blame him. I can't imagine what it feels like. His body is still there." Yugi stiffened at a thought. "His body is still there. What if they try to open his sarcophagus without any of us there?"

"I doubt it would do much damage except to the sarcophagus itself unless..." Yami's eyes bulged. "His Ba."

"The only reason you appeared in my mind instead of others' even when other people had control of the Millennium Puzzle was because I'm your Ba, your body," Yugi began. "I can't imagine... We never had a body to bury because it was destroyed. Kaiba still has his mummified body which his soul would recognize as its own. But since Kaiba's a Ka, he could resist the urge to go back to it."

"He's the spiritual part of the soul," Yami agreed, nodding seriously. "A physical body is not something he absolutely needs."

"Especially, since he already has his own reborn body. But Seth is a Ba and can't exist without a body to dwell in. Like DOMA when the Seal took me." Yami flinched at the memory and Yugi squeezed the former Pharaoh's hand tenderly. "The only reason I could survive like that was because I was held in a stasis and my physical body was still occupied by you."

"The Ka is the life force allowing the Ba to live," Yami murmured as if repeating an age old mantra. "The Ba is the personality and essence of the person. The Ren is the name, the absolute truth of the individual. The Sheut, the shadow, is the strands holding the parts of the soul together in the web of existence. The Ib beats in the chest connecting the Ka to the Ba, giving life to the Ba, powering the Sheut strands, and bound by the Ren. Together, they are the Akh, the perfect, whole construct."

"Akh," Yugi breathed. "What if that was what Helios meant when he said he sensed godhood in us? Maybe he could sense the Akh in us."

"Or maybe he sensed it in Kaiba when his soul unified to become Set reborn," Yami said shrewdly. "And with that to go on, he sensed something similar in all of us."

"So if we unified our soul," Yugi gasped, "we would not only be Atem reborn just like Set, but a full, complete Akh." Yugi sat back in astonishment. "I knew we are Atem when unified but to be a full Akh..."

"Yes, that explains a lot. If Kaiba is still connected to his former body then it is likely he's experiencing the discomfort of someone who's home is being invaded," Yami said. He stood from the couch and began pacing quickly across the Kame Game Shop.

"Do you think he knows?" Yugi asked.

"I would be surprised if he is not at least somewhat aware of what's going on," Yami said. "But no, I'm fairly certain he's not aware of the significance."

"We need to tell him then."

"Yes," Yami agreed, "but I'm not sure holding Court so soon after he's left would be a wise decision. We need to give him at least a couple days to recover his strength unless he contacts us first."

Just then, the little bell over the front entrance tinkled and Jounouchi stepped in. "Yo!" he called, waving. "You two ready t' go?"

"Yeah," Yugi called, hopping up from his seat. "Hang on. Let me get my bag."

Jounouchi sighed in mock exasperation. "And ya couldn' o' done that b'fore I got 'ere? Gah!"

Yami chuckled as Yugi returned with his messenger back slung over his shoulder. "Ready!" the young King chirped happily. "Be back later Grandpa," he called. "Do you need me to pick up anything from the store while I'm out?"

An old man about the same height as Yugi but with a more rotund belly stepped out from the back room and hummed. "Perhaps some more leeks would be nice. Oh and fresh salmon and a carton of eggs if you could."

"Sure. See you later."

"Be safe, Yugi!" Grandpa Mutou called after his grandson's retreating back.

"I will."

Such famous last words, Jounouchi would think later.

No sooner had the front door closed behind them when the distinct sound of a gunshot cracked through the air. No one moved for a good few seconds, caught off guard. Then Yugi blinked and the scenery had changed. What had been a line of tall buildings distinguishing the Domino skyline was now solid, unbroken blue.

Confused, he blinked again and now Yami was hovering over him screaming at him. Tears filled his Ka's face and trailed down his cheeks. Why was Yami crying? Did something happen? Was he shot? Did Yami get shot?! Did Jounouchi?

No, Jounouchi could not have been shot because there was Red Eyes Black Dragon hovering behind Yami, blocking out more of the blue. Red Eyes roared and Yugi realized his perspective was off. Was the blue the sky? But that meant he was lying on the ground? Since when did that happen? Did he fall? But if he fell then who pushed him aside? He could not remember being pushed aside. But then, was he the one who got shot?

Was that why Yami was crying?

Yugi tried to speak, to reasure his Ka that he was fine. That he felt no pain. That he should not worry. But it came out as a gasp and a sharp, jagged sensation of intense pain. He _had_ been shot. But why did he not feel the pain? Shock. He must be in shock.

He struggled to reach out to Yami and felt his Ka take his hand and hold it close to his face. Then Grandpa was there too and oh dear, Grandpa was crying too and shouting something to someone out of sight, Jounouchi? Grandpa had a cell phone in his hand and was speaking into it, probably calling an ambulance.

Shadows curled around him, caressing him, and Yugi sighed, recognizing Yami's distinct darkness. Surprisingly, he also felt a surge of balancing Shadows that could only belong to his Regent. But Kaiba was in another world, how did he know... Unless their connection truly was still strongly in place even through realities. That certainly reinforced the "Shadow Realm is like Dark Matter" theory.

Yep, he was definitely in shock if he was thinking about comparing the Shadows to astrophysics at a time like this. He felt himself smile wryly. Suddenly, Yami whirled, lashing out with his Shadows with a viciousness Yugi only vaguely remember from the times before he had become aware of his Ka or the memories Yami had from Yugi's absence during DOMA. Normally, such a response would terrify Yugi but right now, it was soothing and reassuring.

Kaiba's balancing Shadows reinforced his own by drifting further into the Light to even out the Dark's influence. Then something happened to Yugi's Light, or more specifically to Jounouchi's Light. It felt like a ripping sensation. He screamed and arched off the ground feeling Jounouchi's terror and despair.

What was happening? Something was being taken. But how and why and what? He had to do something. He had to help. He brushed his Deck and felt for a Spell and Monster. " _Swords of Revealing Light_ ," he breathed. "Silent Swordsman Level 7."

He felt his Shadows amplified by Kaiba's Lighter Balance cast the Spell and summon the Monster. Both would stand on their own now. He felt Yami's Shadows also summon Monsters. The familiar presences made him smile: Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl.

He reached for Jounouchi's Shadows and felt them frantic and frayed as if something had been literally ripped away from them. Yugi's Knight was raging and fighting with what felt like Flame Swordsman. Felt like... His senses were becoming muddled and every time Grandpa pressed on his wound it stung.

Then the battle ended just as suddenly as it started. He felt Yami and Jounouchi dismiss their Monsters. He did the same allowing Swords of Revealing Light to remain in place until it faded of its own accord. It felt like only a few seconds before the Spell vanished replaced by flashing lights and strange people, emergency personnel. Yami vanished, back into Yugi's body and the Ba sighed in relief.

 _:Aibou!:_ Yami's though voice called desperately. _:Aibou! Answer me, please. Are you alright? Aibou!:_

Yugi smiled. He winced when the wound stung, jostled by the emergency personnel lifting him onto a bed and carted him into the ambulance. His Grandpa climbed in and sat next to him, clasping his hand hard. Yugi smiled for him.

_:Is it bad, Yami?:_

_:It looks like it hit your lung,:_ Yami answered morosely. _:When you fell, I wasn't... You didn't scream you just... Fell.:_

Yugi closed his eyes but was immediately jostled by a woman wearing a uniform. Yugi could not quite make out what she said but he understood the meaning. He had to stay awake so they had a better chance of saving him. Hopefully, it was not a fatal shot.

_:Did you see the shooter?:_

Yugi felt his Ka shake his head in frustration. _:Yes, but only after he'd...:_

He did not have to say anymore, Yugi understood. He gently brushed his Ka with his Shadows and mind, soothing Yami's frayed temper and terrified worry. He felt Kaiba's Shadows latch onto his Light and yank him back abruptly. He blinked and realized he must have begun to doze off again.

 _:Are those...Kaiba's Shadows?:_ Yami gasped.

Yugi nodded mentally. _:I'm not sure how, but he's helping me. It must be like how we can still feel his discomfort and pain from his tomb even through realities.:_

Yami hummed. _:Fascinating.:_

 _:Do you think it's the same shooter as the one who attacked Kaiba?:_ Yugi asked.

 _:I would not be surprised if it was,:_ Yami hissed. _:I never got the description of Kaiba's shooter but I know what this man looked like. I would recognize him again in an instant.:_

 _:Yami,:_ Yugi asked, _:what happened to Jounouchi? His Shadows, they were-:_

 _:That sick bastard who shot you stole his Red Eyes,:_ Yami growled.

 _:Stole?!:_ Yugi gasped. _:But how is that possible? The card-:_

 _:Jounouchi still has the card. I mean the bastard actually **stole** Red Eyes. The Monster was ripped away from its card and imprisoned in a blank one the shooter held. It happened so fast we barely realized what was going on before we could launch a counter attack.: _ The Pharaoh yelled furiously. _:He got **away**! He vanished in a flash of light before I could rip his heart out and feed it to Ammit.:_

Yugi winced at the threat but continued soothing Yami's tangled Shadows, feeling them caress his in return. He blinked and noticed the white ceiling was moving. No, he was moving. The people around him were pushing his bed down a hall. He was in the hospital then. He was having trouble seeing over the oxygen mask. Then he fell heavy, tired. They must be getting ready to do surgery to remove the bullet.

Yami hissed and fought against the effects of the drug but Yugi calmed him, reassuring him. Kaiba's Shadows tightened their hold on Yugi's maintaining the connection moments before Yugi lost consciousness.

* * *

 

"Brace yourselves!" Green Lantern hollered seconds before flying down into the newly opened hatch, dragging the green orb down behind him. He released the orb's occupants while keeping a barrier of solid green light over the hatch preventing the effects of decompression from affecting them. Then the hatch closed.

"I take it, someone wanted us back in," Mai said, standing up next to Sif who had landed neatly on her feet.

Kaiba was holding his side where the sharp corner of the metal table bolted to the ground had jabbed him upon landing but otherwise he looked fine if a bit windblown. "Then let's find out who."

"I'll find Lorelei," Sif said. She held up a gold collar. "This will silence her and free everyone she has under her spell. If I can get it on her, it's over."

"We'll cover you," Lantern said definitively.

"I'll take Arrow," Kaiba said. "Mai, go with Sif and help where you can. Lorelei's spells only work on men apparently. You can distract her and help Sif can get the upper hand."

"Good idea," Mai said.

"Lantern," Kaiba said. "If you see the chance to neutralize Arrow, take it."

Green Lantern's glowing green eyes narrowed and he nodded. Arrow was his friend and comrade but Lantern was soldier. He knew Arrow would not want this and he intended to free his friend. Marines left no one behind, ever.

"One last thing," Kaiba said, turning to Sif who was watching his with suspicion and grudging respect. "You can do what you want with Lorelei but I want to exact my own judgement for taking one of mine."

"As I guessed," she said. "You are not a simple knight."

Kaiba snorted. "Hardly. And I'll take my vengence with or without your help."

Sif nodded. "She is wanted in Asgard alive." Her lips quirked. "Although, I doubt they will question a bruise or two. We did fight after all."

Kaiba grinned and Lantern was reminded of a snake preparing to bite. "My punishments don't tend to end in death."

The door to the room suddenly opened and everyone went their separate ways before Sif could ask more.

"Ward! We have a problem!"

Lantern took care of the young man who screamed out the warning. Kaiba cursed and ran to the left with Lantern leaving Mai and Sif to take the right. He had no real idea where he was going except that he could feel Arrow's Shadows ahead and below him. So that's where he went.

He took the stairs down into the, he supposed basement was the best word at the moment. He stepped out of the stairwell and looked both ways. He was in the hanger bay area. "Lantern, go left, I'll take right. If you see Arrow, don't hold back."

"Got it."

Kaiba ran down the hall ahead and to the right. A flash of movement in his peripheral vision had him half forming a Spell when Shaadi suddenly leapt out and slammed his hands over his mouth. For a moment, Kaiba was stunned. He had not felt his Advisor's Shadows at all. Damn, the man was good, Kaiba grudgingly admitted.

Kaiba felt Shaadi brush his Shadows and the Regent was relieved to feel no bonds holding his Advisor's Shadows prisoner. That meant Shaadi was not under Lorelei's spell. Shaadi had obviously come to the same conclusion and stepped back, removing his hand from Kaiba's mouth. Shaadi pressed a finger against his lips and pointed to a corridor ahead where the hall turned to the left. 

"Regent!"

Arrow, Kaiba realized.

"Come out Regent!" Arrow called. "I know you're there."

Kaiba gestured for Shaadi to go around from the other way and the Advisor nodded, slipping out of the hallway back the way Kaiba came. Kaiba cast the _Attack Guidance Barrier_ Spell before stepping boldly around the corner to face Arrow. The hallway here was narrow but workable. Unfortunately, Kaiba had barely any room to retreat due to the wall directly behind him unless he chose to run back down the hall he just came from. Arrow, on the other hand, had plenty of room to retreat to.

But that posed another problem. There was a large white compartment on Arrow's left directly behind him. A young girl with long brown hair was sitting on the bed. A computer was open and sitting in her lap but her eyes were focused on the two people in the hallway. The door to her compartment was closed, but Kaiba had no way of knowing whether it was locked or if the windows in the compartment were resistant to impacts, and if they were what kind of impacts.

Kaiba held his hands out on either side of his body before slipping them casually into his pockets. Arrow tightened his hold on his bow minutely, seeing the move as both a challenge and a dismissal.

"Are you here to stop me?" Arrow asked.

Kaiba smirked. "From doing what? Holding your bow? Standing in the hallway?" The Regent snorted. "I told you before, remember? I couldn't care less what you did so long as it did not break the laws of the Shadow Court."

"Which I'm not," Arrow said firmly. "I haven't used my Shadows on anyone."

"Yet," Kaiba added.

"Yet," Arrow said with a faint nod.

Kaiba grinned. "Then you don't have to worry about anything. I'm not here to stop you. Do what you want."

Arrow blinked in surprise. "You won't... Why?" he demanded suspiciously.

Kaiba shrugged. "I have no care for anyone outside my Court. That said, I have no care for you."

"Wha-?"

Before he could finish, Kaiba crouched and leapt at Arrow. The vigilante released his arrow just barely missing the Regent before swinging his bow as a blunt weapon. Kaiba caught it on his crossed forearms, gritting his teeth as heavy metal and wood impacted his unprotected arms.

Kaiba was strong, but without the Shadows reinforcing his strength, Arrow was clearly the physical victor. He felt Seth hiss, wanting to take physical form and join the fight but Kaiba held him back. He would need Seth in a few minutes, but he could not show his hand too soon. A Trap sprung too early was useless.

He allowed himself to be slammed bodily back against the metal wall behind him leaving just enough room between Arrow's back and the white medical compartment for a single, thin person to stand. Again, Kaiba held Seth back. He wanted to try his hand first before resorting to that Spell. The closeness of the hallway would mean he would be just as affected by the Spell as Arrow and he had no desire to suffer that if he could avoid it.

"You said you wouldn't stop me," Arrow growled, the voice changer making his deep voice crackle with fury.

"I did," Kaiba hissed, wincing under Arrow's superior strength. "But I wasn't talking to you. I was talking to my kohai."

Arrow's brows drew down in confusion before solid, green light bound his arms to his sides. Kaiba did not need to look to see the solid light connect back to Green Lantern's ring of power. Shaadi stepped out from behind Lantern and dropped his shields. Arrow's eyes grew round and he looked over his shoulder to where his fellow Justice League comrade and the Advisor stood.

"As I said," Kaiba said drawing Arrow's attention back to him. The vigilante growled and aimed a kick at Kaiba's unprotected knee only for a solid Shadow to loop around his legs, binding them firmly to the ground. "I swore I would never interfere with your business so long as you did not break the laws of the Shadow Court and remained balanced and uninfluenced."

He pulled the vigilante close allowing Seth enough room to appear in spiritual form directly behind Arrow with room to spare just in case it came to that. "I speak to the one within," Kaiba said, drawing his Shadows close to him, darkening the entire hallway and even the brightly lit medical compartment. The girl inside was still seated on the medical bed watching them with an expression that was both fascinated and scared.

"You are mine," Kaiba said impressing the influence if his Shadows against Arrow's with a steady force. "She may have your mind, but she cannot have your soul. That belongs to me and me only. Do you hear that kohai? Your soul is _mine_. Mine and no one else's. I will be the one to collect it when you die. I will have you balanced and uninfluenced. Now fight this and return to me." Glacial eyes narrowed in dark fury and the Shadows writhed with chaotic power. "Or I will rip your mind back by force."

Arrow struggled in the green and Shadowy bonds holding him in place as well as the mental chains keeping both his powers and his mind enslaved. He was strong but not strong enough. It did not leave Kaiba with much of a choice.

 _:Seth,:_ he said.

His Ba met his eyes over Arrow's shoulder and nodded firmly. He materialized long enough for Kaiba to cast the Spell _Lightforce Sword_. The long sword appeared in Seth's hand moments before he plunged it through Arrow's chest. Unfortunately, just like Kaiba knew would happen because of the cramped space but had steadfastly hoped would not, the long blade pierced his chest as well. Instantly, he felt the Spell take hold, yanking his soul back into his soul room and slamming the door shut.

Seth vanished, returning to Kaiba's body fast enough to prevent him from crumbling to the ground. He could feel his Ka deep inside his mind, locked in his soul room by the Spell. He looked over his shoulder and saw Green Lantern walk forward hesitantly.

"What did you do?" he demanded.

" _Lightforce Sword_ ," Seth replied. "It's a Spell that binds the soul in its soul room and locks the door to it rendering the person unconscious. There is no lasting damage."

Lantern glanced at Seth. "And Kaiba?"

Seth nodded. "The same," he replied. "I am taking his place until the Spell wears off."

"How long will that take?"

Seth tilted his head in a very un-Kaiba-like movement. "Perhaps a half hour or so. It depends. I may be able to rouse him before then if he succeeds in loosening the bindings of the Spell. Otherwise, he cannot come out and I cannot retreat."

Lantern nodded and eased Arrow down so he could carry him. He looked over to the young woman in the medical cubical curiously. She waved with a stunned expression on her face to which Shaadi blinked.

"I take it she is the one you were curious about," Seth said, stepping up next to Kaiba's Advisor.

"Indeed." Shaadi's eyes stared directly at the young woman who made a face at them before going back to typing quickly on her computer.

"She does not fear us?" Seth asked.

"No," Shaadi answered. "She just ignores me or stares at me. If I blink she cheers as if she has won a game. It is," Shaadi paused thoughtfully, "curious."

Seth sighed. "Is there any particular reason you find this human of interest?"

Shaadi nodded slowly. "She should be dead."

"Dead?" Lantern repeated. "Why should she be dead?"

"Because she died, Lantern," Shaadi said. "I feel it on her. The Shadows are intrigued as well as disgusted by her presence. It is the same for the man Coulson. The only difference is his...death sensation has faded as if by time. This girl's death is recent and so her death sensation is fresh and strong. It...disturbs me."

Seth nodded. "Then we should leave for now. Leave that which has nothing to do with us or our own."

"As you say," Shaadi said following his Regent's Ba.

* * *

 

Mai ducked under the blade and tangled her _Thorn Whip_ around Lorelei's neck, yanked hard just as Sif snatched the witch's red hair and threw her to the ground. Together, they wrestled the witch into submission. Sif knelt with the tip of her sword held firmly against Lorelei's neck.

"Kill me," Lorelei said. "I would rather die then go back to that place."

Mai admired the way Sif's hand never wavered despite how badly she clearly wanted to rip Lorelei's throat out. The witch saw the same thing.

"You want to," she said. "I can see it in your eyes. Or would you rather I talk about how I took the man you loved from under your nose. Of his touch, his kiss, how he followed me around like a dog, of hi-"

Mai yanked and the thorns of her _Thorn Whip_ dug bleeding holes in the witch's neck just as Sif slapped the collar on. Lorelei choked on the thorns before falling absolutely silent as the collar's effect began. The gold rings of the collar lifted to form a basket weave over the bottom half of her face silencing her for good.

Mai dismissed her _Thorn Whip_ and tossed her sweat dampened hair over her shoulder. "Well, that was certainly fun," she said. "I haven't had the chance to let loose like that in a while."

Sif stood, dragging the compliant Lorelei with her, locking manacles around her wrists for good measure. Lorelei glared murderously at the warrioress who merely grinned before turning away, snubbing the witch's existence. "I agree," she said to Mai. "You are a fine shieldmaiden."

Mai grinned and winked flirtatiously. "Why thank you, dear," she said. "Hit me up if you ever want to spar."

Sif's eyebrows drew down in confusion. "Hit you?"

Mai waved. "It's an expression. It means, 'call me' or 'let me know.'"

"Ah, I see." Sif said as she and Mai walked out of the room and into the common area.

The common room was a mess of broken furniture and glass. Melinda May was on her feet staring at a stunned Ward who was frantically apologizing and saying he was free.

"He speaks true," Sif called to May. "Lorelei has been silenced. He is free of her spell."

May nodded, punched Ward, and answered flatly, "Good to know."

Mai snickered. She looked over her shoulder when Kaiba appeared from the other hallways accompanied by Green Lantern holding Arrow's unconscious body and Shaadi by his side. She stiffened when she felt Seth's Shadows instead of Kaiba's. Sif noticed her tension and followed her gaze to the newly arrived group. Seth met Mai's eyes evenly before sliding over to Sif's.

The Asgardian warrior narrowed her eyes at Kaiba, sensing a different presence than the one she had spoken to or the one she first met on the battle field of Rosie's Diner. This presence felt much like the one she spoke with just before the Sorceress first appeared. It was older, wiser, and felt cautious.

"Where's Coulson?" Ward asked.

"Landing this thing," May said, rubbing blood off her lip. "Someone's got to fly it." She turned to the black and green clad man and drew her gun. "Now who the hell are you?"

"A friend," Sif said quickly, stepping between May and Lantern. "He saved my life when Lorelei attempted to eject me from your flying vessel."

"I don't like strangers on my plane," May said, not lowering her gun.

"Then it would be best if we leave," Seth said, speaking finally. May looked at him sharply before lowering her gun. "If you land this craft, we will leave. You have my word."

Sif again felt the lingering tingles on her senses warning her that this was a different person. But she could not understand why or how this could be. She looked back at Mai and noticed the Sorceress had moved to stand next to the one called Shaadi offering her silent support. Perhaps this was yet another form of the strange magic. Then again, perhaps not.

"It is a sound strategy," she said finally turning back to May. "I too will need to stand on solid ground for the bifrost to take us back to Asgard."

May nodded. "I'll tell Coulson." She shot another poisonous glare at Ward who winced before walking off.

Mai snickered. "You'll have a hard time with her, I think, " she said.

Ward sighed heavily, rubbing his aching neck. "Yeah." He glared at Lorelei. "But I think I can deal as long as _she's_ locked up nice and tight."

Sif grinned. "She will be. Asgard will see to it."

Seth waited patiently for Kaiba to widdle away the vestiges of the _Lightforce Sword_ Spell before ceding control back to him. By that time, the airplane had landed and Sif was giving her final farewells to Coulson and May. Sif glanced sharply at him when Kaiba resumed control.

Kaiba lifted an eyebrow in interest. So the warrior could sense the differences between himself and Seth. Seth hovered close to his Ka's mind curiously. Sif stepped away from Coulson and met Kaiba's eyes evenly. Kaiba's lips twitched up in approval.

"You asked to exact your own punishment on Lorelei for the imprisonment of your comrade at arms," she said.

Kaiba felt Arrow shift self-consciously behind him but made no indication of it. He simply stared back at Sif expectantly.

"If you wish to do it, now is the time," she said.

"We don't approve of torture here," Coulson said, stepping forward.

"Pity," Kaiba said. "I would enjoy torturing her." His eyes burned with a frigid fire. "But seeing as we are both short on time, I promise this will be quick."

"No torture," Coulson said firmly, his eyes darkening. Kaiba noticed the subtle change with interest. So this man was familiar with torture.

The Regent nodded. "It will not be torture, just a Penalty. Nothing more. It won't take more than minute. You can watch if you'd like. I will not lay a hand on her."

"Nor your companions," Coulson said.

"Neither my companions nor I will touch her," Kaiba promised.

"If I even think-"

"Feel free to stop me," Kaiba said brushing past the man to walk towards Lorelei. "Kohai, to me."

Mai stood back and watched as the vigilante moved hesitantly over to her Regent. She could feel Arrow's Shadows subdued and reluctant to activate as they had been since he woke. It would take a while for them and their wielder to recover from the experience. She knew the violating feeling of possession intimately well. It had been years and she had still not completely recovered from the incident. At least Arrow was with the right crowd. Group therapy had its perks after all.

Kaiba waited patiently for Arrow to stand beside him, brushing his Shadows against the vigilante's. Arrow hesitantly touched back, unsure and apologetic. Kaiba yanked the Shadows hard enough to startle the man. He glared at him with a look of disdain to which Arrow smirked and tugged back with his own Shadows. That brought a sly grin to Kaiba's lips.

Without further ado, Kaiba turned his blue eyes on Lorelei who was watching them distrustfully. "You have trespassed on the souls of many including one of mine," Kaiba said. "I could let the Shadows exact their own punishment on you, but I have some mercy."

He glanced at Arrow who met his eyes before shaking his head. Kaiba lifted an eyebrow but acquiesced. He stepped back held out his hand, palm open and summoned the Millennium Scales into existence. "You stand accused of imprisoning the mind of the one called Arrow of Starling City," Kaiba declared. "I will ask you three questions which you will answer with a nod for yes and head shake for no. Is this understood?"

Lorelei's eyes had grown wide when the golden scales inscribed with the Eye of Ra upon them materialized above Kaiba's hand. Mai and Shaadi stepped on either side of Kaiba and Arrow, enforcing their Regent's words and Shadows with their presence. Shaadi removed the small feather he wore tucked in his turban and placed it on one of the empty pans. The Scales immediately balanced and Kaiba nodded.

"If the pan with the feather drops to the bottom by the third question, you are found innocent and will be released without penalty," Kaiba said. "However, should the empty pan touch the bottom, you are guilty and will be punished for the crime of which you are accused."

Green Lantern stood back from the events, placing a hand on Coulson's shoulder. "Don't worry," he said. "It's a Court of his magic."

"Oh really?" Coulson said. "And who's the judge?"

"Or the jury?" May said, finger her gun.

"The magic they answer to," Lantern said. "Believe me, it's better if they handle it then leaving it up to their magic. It doesn't tend to be a pretty sight if they leave it to the Shadows. I don't understand it completely myself but in this case, I'm behind them."

"You would swear on you honor?" Sif demanded.

Lantern met her eyes with the power and respect of a fellow soldier. "I do."

Sif nodded. "Then I trust your word, but if I feel things have gone too far, I will step in."

"I understand," Lantern said.

Kaiba crossed his arms across his chest and spoke. "You were imprisoned for a similar crime in the past, is that not so?"

Lorelei snarled soundlessly, glaring at him over her silencing collar. The Scales clicked to the side so the pan with the feather rose a single notch and the empty pan dropped. Kaiba ignored them and asked his second question.

"Did you be-spell my companion called Arrow of Starling City and force him to do your bidding?" he said.

This time, Lorelei met his gaze defiantly and made no move. The Scales clicked again and the empty pan dropped another notch.

"Finally, did you enjoy it?"

"What kind of question is that?" May asked.

Lorelei's eyes gleamed and Kaiba would swear she was grinning at him behind the silencing collar. She nodded and the Scales clinked once more and the empty pan struck the bottom. The Scales vanished and Kaiba sighed.

"You have been found guilty of the crime for which you are accused," he declared. "Your Penalty Game shall be chosen not by me, but by the one whom you possessed." He turned to Arrow and waited for the vigilante to speak.

Arrow remained silent for several seconds before speaking. "You rely on your beauty and words to seduce men and bring you power." He lifted his face so his forest green eyes burning brilliantly in the darkness of his hood. "I strip you of your beauty and voice forever. Even if the collar silencing you is removed, you will never speak again. Only the sounds of a goat will ever escape your throat. Anyone who hears you or sees you will be repulsed."

"As you say," Kaiba said nodding. "So shall it be." He turned back to Lorelei, reveling in her horrified gaze. He smirked and said in hieratic, "This Penalty Game is approved by the Regent of the Shadow Realm and Earthbound Shadow Kingdom."

Instantly, the Shadows writhed around Lorelei, vanishing as abruptly as the appeared. At first it seemed nothing had happened. Then cracks began forming across Lorelei's face, fracturing into long continuous fissures which dried up like withered leaves and peeled away revealing a hideous visage the likes of which made even Sif flinch. Kaiba's eyes narrowed but made no other move to express his disgust.

Instead, he turned away, dismissing the woman. The Judgement Game and Penalty Game had been cast, deemed just, and completed, and Arrow was back in his fold. He had nothing more to do here.

"As promised," he said to Sif. "I and my people have not touched her, her life is still hers, and I have had my vengeance. I want nothing more to do with her."

Coulson blinked. "What did you do exactly?"

"I removed the physical beauty she once had and revealed the disgusting form of her heart and soul," Kaiba replied. "Nothing more. It was not painful at all, despite how much I wish it had been." He turned to Green Lantern. "We're going."

Green Lantern jolted to attention before following after Kaiba.

"Mai isn't really a Sorceress is she?" Coulson called, ignoring Sif guiding a distraught Lorelei down the hanger door to await the bifrost.

"On the contrary," Mai said happily. "I most certainly am. I'm just _his_ Sorceress," she said, pointing her thumb to Kaiba.

"And that makes you...?"

"The Regent."

"Regent of what?"

Kaiba just grinned and walked away.

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to demand an answer," Coulson said chasing them as a sedate pace. "I need to know if you pose a threat to this world."

Kaiba paused. "Shaadi," he said in Arabic, "start looking for a place to Travel in case we need to leave in a hurry."

Shaadi nodded and obeyed while Kaiba turned to fully face the man. Coulson did not have an intimidating appearance but his manner and the way he carried himself spoke of a man of respect, honor, honestly, and power. Kaiba acknowledged that.

"Unless you harm one of mine, I could care less what happens to you, your people, or anyone in this world," Kaiba said. "This planet, this _universe_ could burn to the ground and I would not give a damn about it. All I care about are those who are mine. Leave us be and we will leave you be."

"And if our paths should cross again?"

"Then let's hope it's not as enemies," Kaiba replied.

"Why are you here if you really don't care about this place?" Coulson asked, stuffing his hands in his pockets in a nonchalant manner.

Kaiba felt Shaadi brush his Shadows indicating he had found a place and was ready to Travel whenever. Kaiba returned the brush with one of his own before answering Coulson's question. "Something has been stolen from me," he said simply. "And I want it back."

"What kind of 'something?'" Coulson pressed. "Maybe my people have come across it."

"I should hope not," Kaiba said. "If I find out you have and you've mistreated him, I will obliterate your existence."

"Him. So not a thing, then," Coulson said.

Kaiba felt Seth in the back of his mind soothing his temper and said, "My brother. Someone tried to kill him. He's been taken from me."

Coulson's eyes softened. "Then I wish you luck," he said.

Kaiba nodded. He reached out and felt Shaadi take his hand. Just before they Traveled Coulson said, "You never did answer my question."

Kaiba lifted an eyebrow. "Which one?"

"Regent of what?"

Kaiba smirked. "The Shadows." Shaadi shook his head at his Regent's theatrics and Traveled them to a safe location.

Coulson did not even blink at the disappearance, watching as the bifrost slammed to the earth in brilliant iridescent color taking Sif and the disfigured Lorelei back to Asgard. He just shook his head and muttered, "I'm glad I'm an only child."

* * *

 

They materialized in the shadow of a building which Kaiba took to be a visitor's center. He looked around and was unimpressed. At least it had toilets and maybe even some clothes to pilfer for Green Lantern who still looked ridiculous in his Justice League getup.

Then the bullet tore through a chest and the game changed.


	16. Legal and Illegal Knowedge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Kaiba needs to tinker, gets to do some hacking, and learns New York is an promising destination.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** Again, I'm so sorry for the delay. I hate waiting so long between updating. It's hard for me as well as y'all because I've got all the ideas just itching to be written down and no chance to d so. It's absolutely maddening. It's difficult to focus in class because of my ideas. Anywho, I hope this tides y'all over. The next chapter will involve Mokie and Helios, Yugi, and of course the Shield hacker whom I'm quite certain we can all name already.

The moment Kaiba felt the Balance tip, he instinctively moved further into the Light. Phantom pain he recognized from his graze with the assassin's bullet lanced through his chest. But it was not his chest that was bleeding and struggling to breathe, it was Yugi's. Yugi had been shot.

It only took a moment for the significance of that thought to take root in his mind before Kaiba's Shadows reached out to their limits and latched onto Yugi's Light, curling around it and reinforcing it with his own. He could feel Obelisk's divine power reinforcing his own Shadows, protecting him and guiding him as he struggled to remain close to the King. Even with Obelisk's help, he could not diagnose the severity of the damage, but he could tell it was serious. Yugi was disoriented and confused and at one point began to fade. Kaiba yanked Yugi's Light back with a viciousness he rarely exhibited. He would not lose his only rival.

He could not.

He tried to pay attention to what was happening around Yugi and noticed Yami's Dark and a Light he knew to be Jounouchi were attacking something. Monsters had been summoned. He was not sure which ones, but he could guess. He was relying on Yugi's Shadow senses to figure out what was going on but they were not functioning well at anything except keeping the young King alive at the moment

There was a ripping sensation that made Kaiba cringe then everything stopped. Yami returned to Yugi's body but kept a firm control of his Dark Shadows to prevent them from suffocating Yugi's fluttering Light. Kaiba could barely make out the garbled sounds of their private conversation over the distance and Yugi's muddled senses. He was able to determine something had been taken from Jounouchi and the shooter had gotten away, again.

Kaiba suspected the shooter was the same one who shot him in the shoulder and caused this mess in the first place but he could not project words from this distance. It was taking nearly all of his concentration to remain connected as firmly as he was. He stayed with Yugi as long as he could. He felt the King move and assumed he had been placed in an ambulance.

Yugi's Light guttered once more and Kaiba lassoed the King's Shadows with his own and yanked with all the strength he could muster. He could feel his own body gasping from the effort when Yugi finally came back. Yami was all but panicking trying to help Kaiba keep Yugi awake and coherent and maintaining a strict control of his Shadows. This was placing a strain on all of them.

Then Yugi began to sink into unconsciousness and Kaiba panicked, pulling his King's consciousness back to awareness as hard as he could. But in the end, it was useless. Kaiba was left grappling with nothing. Yugi was gone and Yami had become incredibly hard to reach. The Regent froze, frantically feeling the Shadows waiting for the Balance to vanish.

It did not. He heaved a sigh of relief. Yugi must have been drugged and gone into surgery. That was the only explanation he could come up with for the loss of both the Pharaoh's and the King's Shadows but have the Balance still standing. Kaiba was still Lighter than he normally was but it was not quite uncomfortable yet. It would be soon though if Yugi did not recover.

He felt phantom hands kneed his tense shoulders and slowly began to relax. Seth said nothing, he simply touched. Kisara grumbled in Kaiba's mind vibrating his Shadows. Kaiba slowly retreated closer to reality and rubbed the palms of his hands against eyes. He was drained and hyperaware of the Shadows around him, half expecting them to flail from the loss of the Light but they remained steady.

Kisara nudged Kaiba's consciousness crooning encouragingly. Yugi was still alive. The assassin had failed again. But had he? What caused that ripping sensation? Did this mean the assassin was after the entire Inner Court and not just Kaiba?

Kaiba ran a hand over his face as the exhaustion and strain nagged at him. This was not what he needed. There were too many unknowns in this. He needed to find his brother and the crazy Greek and get the hell back home as fast as he could. He was useless in this godforsaken reality.

Seth murmured something in soft hieratic and Kisara crooned giving him the sensation of wrapping her scaly body around his. It was comforting and helped calm his frayed nerves. He could not lose Yugi. The King and the Pharaoh were the only Duelists worthy of facing him as equal opponents. They...

They were his friends.

Seth leaned against his Ka's back, resting his head on Kaiba's shoulder. Obelisk grumbled softly before retreating back into the Shadow Realm through Kaiba's Deck. The silent support combined with Kisara's almost constantly crooning and purring eased him down from his heightened state of awareness to a more neutral, calm state where he could think more clearly. He needed to plan. He needed to tinker with something. A Duel Disk would sate his need to tinker but he would settle for a computer.

To distract himself, he extended his Shadows as far as he could reach in this reality. It was not as far as he was used to but it was satisfactory. As his Shadows traveled up the east coast of the United States, he noticed something odd. For some reason, he felt disoriented the closer he got to New York. The city itself was decent, filled with Shadows both sentient and non, but there was a place there where his Shadows could not penetrate. It felt...not wrong so much as different. And there was something else.

Souls. There was an unusual cache of souls in New York City just beyond the point where his Shadows could not cross. But the feeling of those souls was so strong, he could feel it from here if he focused hard enough. Numerous souls, bound to...something. Seth added his Shadows to Kaiba's, drawn towards the unreachable cache. Kaiba snagged Seth and held him back. The cache of souls may be intriguing, but it was dangerous and not what he was looking for.

He expanded his Shadows farther out into the more rural areas of New York. Interestingly enough, the further northeast he felt from New York City, the more muddled everything became. It was as if something was blocking him. That made two areas of interest and both were in the state of New York. Pity Kaiba no longer believed in coincidences. 

He blinked back to reality and was immediately disoriented. He was sitting on a low stone wall surrounding a manmade garden at the rest stop. He could not remember ever sitting down but at least he was in the shade. Or no, not shade. He lifted his head and looked up at the sky in confusion; it was night. Movement beside him drew his eyes back down to where Arrow sat next to him. He blinked when he realized Arrow had shed his vigilante hooded jacket and weapons for mostly civilian clothes.

Oliver wore a black t-shirt with AC/DC branded on the front. He still wore his leather Arrow pants and boots but his hooded jacket had been removed and probably safely tucked away with his bow and arrows in the duffle bag at his side. The dark green eye-mask that had been hiding the vigilante's upper face had been removed as well. Kaiba was struck by Oliver's eyes. He knew they were green but if he leaned just so in the streetlight, they appeared blue.

Oliver waited until Kaiba was satisfied with his investigation before speaking. "Welcome back."

Kaiba sighed and folded his hands, resting his elbows on his knees and his chin on his fingers. "The King was shot," he said without preamble. He saw Oliver jolt in his peripheral vision and continued before he was interrupted. "The assumption is he was shot by the same person who shot me. He's fine. He's most likely in surgery now."

Oliver's shoulders dropped in relief. "That's good news at least," he said. "Where was he when it happened?"

"Unless he moved since I left, which is possible," Kaiba conceaded, "he was at home."

"So the assassin knows where he lives," Oliver said.

Kaiba nodded. "Nice shirt," he said suddenly.

Oliver chuckled and looked away. "Not a huge fan but it was free so I'll live."

"Mai and the others?"

"There's a Goodwill a couple blocks down from the next exit," Oliver said. "It's not big or anything, but Mai was able to pick out a few things for everyone."

"Shaadi won't wear modern clothes," Kaiba said.

"Yeah, we figured that out when he just stared at her until she stopped trying to get him to change clothes," Oliver laughed. "John's still with her. Shaadi should be back in a couple minutes to check on you."

Kaiba hesitated before asking. "How long was I gone?"

"About an hour or so," Oliver said. "You just... Now that I know what happened, it makes sense but you gave us a scare back there. You just froze up and became unresponsive." Oliver looked at his Regent penetratingly. "You're Lighter."

Kaiba hummed absently. "I'm compensating for Yugi. He'd better recover quickly because I can't stay like this for long. If I do, I could become entrenched and it'll be more difficult for me to get back my Balance without Mokuba."

"So in other words, our time just got cut short by a lot," Oliver concluded. "Great. Well, on the bright side, there's a couple computers in the library near the Goodwill if you're interested."

Kaiba felt a grin grow slowly on his face. "Internet access?"

Oliver winked. "Unlimited. Well, for about thirty minutes anyway."

"I can work with that." Kaiba stood carefully, catching himself when his legs wobbled. He was more tired than he could afford to be.

He reached out with his Shadows and brushed Shaadi. The Advisor almost jumped when he felt his Regent's Shadows and grasped them firmly in return. Kaiba took Oliver's wrist feeling the other man grasp his in return and Traveled to where Shaadi stood beside the Goodwill. It was late but hopefully not too late.

"Is the library closed yet?" he demanded upon arrival.

Shaadi blinked but shook his head. "Not for another forty minutes or so."

"Good," Kaiba said, quickly locating the small building and hurrying across the parking lot towards it. "I need a computer."

"Regent!" Kaiba slowed just enough for Shaadi to catch up but did not stop. The Advisor came even with him and spoke. "Are you well? Has something happened to the King?"

"He was shot," Kaiba said quickly. "He's in surgery but other than that I'm not sure how he is."

"I see. And the Pharaoh?"

"Not taking it too well," Kaiba muttered. "He's controlling himself but only just. Jounouchi was with them so they aren't alone. Something was ripped from them. I'm not sure what but whatever it was, it's affecting all of them."

"Ripped from them?" Shaadi gasped voicing the question on Oliver's mind. "How is that possible?"

"I don't know," Kaiba said as they walked closer to the library. "Shaadi, you go first, then you kohai. I'll go in last. We don't want to be seen as a group. Kohai, if Mai or John come in looking for us, call them over. Keep them busy until I'm done. I'll leave first. Stay as long as you can without being kicked out by the staff."

"Understood," Oliver said nodding with Shaadi.

The group fell silent and Shaadi strode forward into the library. He paused at the entrance before moving to the left towards the nonfiction reference book section. Oliver waited a full minutes before walking in and swerving to the right where the newspapers and periodicals were located. He grabbed the latest edition available of the Wall Street Journal and sat down in one of the comfy armchairs to read. Who would have thought the _Wall Street Journal_ was available in this reality too? At least it was something familiar.

He felt Kaiba come inside but did not look up. He could feel Shaadi also following the Regent with his Shadows when Mai and John walked in. John noticed Oliver almost immediately upon stepping through the sliding doors and walked over to join him. Mai trailed along behind, eyes darting around the room.

"Mai," Oliver called softly. He waved her over, gesturing to one of the empty armchairs. Naturally, she perched herself on the arm of the chair he was sitting in with a cheeky grin. John shook his head and took the empty seat.

"Where're the others?" John asked.

"Kaiba's over there on one of the computers," Oliver answered, pitching his voice low to both suit the quiet environment and keep the conversation between them. "Shaadi's over in the nonfiction section."

"Probably looking for anything useful," Mai said. "Whatcha lookin' at? Anything interesting?" she asked, peering at the newspaper in Oliver's lap.

"Yeah actually," he said. "We were right; there is a group of superheroes in this world too. They call themselves the Avengers."

"There's probably a story there," John commented wryly.

"I bet." Oliver turned the paper around to show the photograph on the front cover. "This apparently just happened about a week ago. Check it out."

John and Mai leaned over to get a better view of the image. It was actually two photographs of the same place taken at different times. The photo on the left was of a large plaza that had been torn apart by a huge, towering black obelisk type thing. The image on the right showed the same place but covered with people wearing volunteer vests obviously working on the clean up efforts.

"Aliens?" Mai wondered.

"Yeah. But read the caption," Oliver said, tapping the words underneath the photographs.

_Three dead, twenty injured, and four still missing after unknown aliens invaded England last Wednesday before being fought off my Thor of the Avengers._

"Thor?" John repeated out loud. "The only Thor I'm familiar with is the one from Norse mythology. But I only know his name because of a few college classes and an animated TV show I used to watch as a kid."

"He's the Norse god of thunder," Mai said. "He has a card in Duel Monsters but I've only actually ever seen it once. I'm guessing this isn't the same Thor though," she muttered, craning her neck to look for anyone who could pass as 'Thor' in the photograph.

"He's further in," Oliver said, pulling the paper back to flip through the pages to the continuation of the front page story.

When he found it, he folded the paper in half longways and turned it around so the others could see the photograph. It was slightly blurry and obviously not taken by a professional, but it depicted a group of humanoid things facing off again a single, blonde haired, red caped person who could only be Thor. He was leaned back holding a hammer-like object as if he was about to throw it. The photograph had been taken from inside a nearby building through broken glass.

"Think Thor's his cover name or his real name?" John asked.

"My guess?" Oliver shifted in the chair so he could see the picture as well. "It's his real name. Remember Sif?" The others nodded. "She mentioned Asgard and Thor is a god from Asgard. I'm guessing this Asgard is the same one Thor is from which means they probably know each other."

"Which means he's an alien like her," Mai said.

"But that also means he's not a god," John said. "Just an alien species who may be longer lived than humans." He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Which begs the question: does that go for all the 'gods' in this world or just his group?"

"Got me," Mai said.

She glanced back over her shoulder around the room and saw Kaiba hunched over a computer in the corner of her eye. His unblinking eyes glowed from the bright computer light. She heaved a sigh. She knew her Regent had an affinity for technology but seeing him actually in his element was always something. Whether it was a treat or disconcerting, she was never sure.

* * *

 

Shaadi held the mythology book carefully as he read through it. Most of the Egyptian mythologies were identical to those in their homeworld. It seemed that once again, the myths changed to focus on the Osirian pantheon once Upper and Lower Egypt united and the famous dynasties began. Everything before that point was hard to find, but he had been anticipating that and knew how to read between the lines.

Ra, Set, Atum, Anubis, Osiris, and Isis were among a select few who were still some of the oldest gods in the pantheon but it was difficult to find any information on them before the dynasties and the Osirian pantheon came to power. Also, Set was unsurprisingly relegated to the role of villain once more. Shaadi sighed through his nose at the news. He knew to expect such an outcome, but it still bothered him that something as simple as human politics could affect ancient history and by extension mythology so much.

He replaced the reference book with care, eyeing it thoughtfully before stuffing his hands in his sleeves and walking down the aisle towards the exit. He had nothing more to learn from books. A voice over the intercom system announced the library would be closing in ten minutes. He made his way towards the exit, feeling his Regent's Shadows distracted by whatever he was doing. Shaadi did not acknowledge Mai, Oliver, or John as he left. He would wait outside for them.

* * *

 

Kaiba was frustrated beyond reason. When he first started, he had simply Googled 'Shield', the agency Coulson claimed to be a part of and got the official website. 'Shield' turned out to be an acronym for 'Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division.' They were the go-to agency regarding anything involving alien invasion, which had happened multiple times, and threats from outside and within Earth. Their objective was to protect the individual and the world from threats too great to be handled alone.

From the official SHIELD website Kaiba followed several links and offshoots focusing on a group called the Avengers. Fabulous. Kaiba was not sure if superheroes in this reality was a stroke of good luck or bad luck. Superheroes made it easier to explain John's existence and possibly his own, but superheroes also made things more difficult. It meant this world was actively on the lookout for people with powers which would make it difficult to hide.

So why hide?

He pulled out his KaibaCorp cell phone and typed, _/Noa. Are you there?/_

_/Yes. A part of my program is still in your phone./_

Kaiba grinned and typed _, /You ready for a game?/_

 _/Depends,/_ Noa replied after a moment. _/What kind?/_

_/Hide and seek./_

A smiley emoji appeared on Kaiba's phone screen followed by, _/Oh yeah!/_

Kaiba plugged the charger end of the power cord into his phone and the USB end into the computer and started typing. Noa's program connected to the computer and began working to mitigate any attempts to stop Kaiba's hacking so he could gather as much information as he could in the little time he had. If SHIELD was as good as he was lead to believe, then his hacking would be caught, stopped, and his computer tracked down quickly. But since Coulson was already aware of him, it should not be too difficult to have a little fun with this. Maybe he could even leave a message for the agent.

Just minutes later, as he was scanning through a file on Iron Man, he got a message from Noa. He quickly glanced over it and sped up his typing. SHIELD was on to him. They were fast. Noa was doing his best to stop the attempts to prevent Kaiba from accessing too many classified files but there was an A.I. which was having some success at blocking Noa. The fact an A.I. was offering his brother a challenge was impressive. Noa was a human intelligence uploaded into the digital world. An A.I. was by definition artificial which meant it did not possess the human ability to think outside the box. Yet an A.I. was giving Noa trouble. Whoever programmed it had to be good.

_/Hello there./_

Kaiba blinked when the message appeared on the screen in front of him but did not reply. He continued to type as another message appeared below the first.

_/You're good. I'm better./_

A challenge. Kaiba enjoyed challenges. He smirked and focused solely on his hacking, skimming through windows and articles he managed to open as fast as he could before they were closed by the other hacker. They _were_ good, Kaiba admitted reluctantly. Fast, efficient, and predicting his moves with decent success. Thankfully, since Kaiba had no real goal in mind except to make sure SHIELD had no contact with his brother or Helios, his searches appeared to be random which threw the other hacker off to a degree.

Speaking of which, another message appeared. _/Do you even know what you're looking for?/_

Kaiba ignored the new message and continued searching.

_/Are you ignoring me? I'm kinda offended./_

Kaiba's phone vibrated twice indicating Noa had been forced to retreat back into his phone. That meant he sensed a possible hack in the phone. Kaiba quickly unplugged the device from the computer and went back to typing. Unfortunately, the lag, however short, allowed the other hacker to catch up to him.

_/You really are ignoring me./_

Kaiba huffed and moved the chat screen aside so he could continue searching the SHIELD archives. He had not found anything of use which meant as far as he knew, Coulson had told the truth. SHIELD had not had any contact with Mokuba or Helios yet. That was good news in the sense that he did not have to worry about getting them out. But it was bad news because it meant he still needed to look for them.

_/Hey! You're younger than I am! Totally not fair./_

Kaiba blinked, eyes flickering briefly up to see the small pinhole at the top of the monitor that held the computer's webcam and groaned. If the hacker had gained access to this computer it meant SHIELD had tracked his IP address and knew where he was. Time was up. He began dismissing the windows but took the time to type a single message into the chat window.

_/Tell Coulson the Regent says hello./_

He sent the message and moved to log out of his session on the computer when a reply came in. It was a short message consisting of just two words but they clearly carried a lot of weight.

_/Coulson's dead./_

Kaiba hesitated, lifting an eyebrow in disbelief. He debated whether or not to counter those words before coming to a decision. There was not much for him to lose from this. _/Unless he somehow died within the last several hours since I spoke to him face to face, which I doubt, then he's very much alive./_

He sent the message and logged out of his session. Taking up his phone and power cord, he stood, stuffed them into his pants pocket, and walked away. He noted with relief that no one from Oliver's group looked at him or acted as if they recognized him as he walked out. The automatic doors slid shut behind him cutting off the female voice announcing the library would be closing in five minutes.

He stuffed his hands in his pockets against the cool night breeze and walked into the parking lot. Shaadi's Shadows brushed his and Kaiba casually walked behind a Ford pickup truck. Shaadi was seated calmly on the curb between the truck and an empty parking spot. His eerie eyes gleamed as he met Kaiba's. He did not stand, just waited for Kaiba to join him. Kaiba was not about to sit on the ground if he could avoid it, so he leaned back against the truck.

"Find anything interesting?" he asked.

Shaadi shook his head. "Most of the Egyptian mythology was the same as from our world. Although," he said, tilting his head thoughtfully, "I am beginning to think Anubis is supposed to be a reference to myself."

Kaiba eyed Shaadi curiously. "Anubis was a crazy wizard who tried to kill the Pharaoh."

Shaadi nodded. "But the things the god is associated with are the very things I was responsible for in my past life."

Kaiba hummed. "So you think Anubis is the name of the enemy pinned onto Shada. A case of mistaken identity?"

Shaadi nodded. "It is not uncommon. It would appear Anubis is only treated badly in modern pop culture. But that is mainly because he is associated with death and humans are known to fear and dislike anything like that."

"I thought Anubis was the god of the embalming," Kaiba said.

Shaadi nodded. "He is but he was also the god of the dead until Osiris took his place when the Egyptian dynasties began and the Osirian pantheon took precedence."

"I see. Politics," Kaiba scoffed under his breath.

He glanced through the tinted glass of the truck over his shoulder and saw Oliver walking out of the library with Mai and John. About five other people hurried out as well followed by two stragglers. Kaiba tugged Mai's and Oliver's Shadows towards him, waiting for them to walk around the truck.

"Get anything interesting?" John asked.

"As a matter of fact, yes," Kaiba replied. "I just heard Coulson is officially dead."

Everyone's eyes widened in surprise but it was Shaadi who shook his head seriously. "I would agree but I know he is not undead." His orange brown eyes met Kaiba's blue sternly. "I know what the dead feel like. He did die, that is true. But he is very much alive now."

"I know," Kaiba said. "I said he's _officially_ dead."

"What do you mean by that?" John demanded.

Kaiba shrugged. "I'm not sure. When I hacked SHIELD, someone almost as good as I am gave me trouble. Even started up a chat while countering my hack. They're good." Shaadi lifted an eyebrow at the compliment. "Whoever it was seemed fairly certain Coulson was dead."

"So a cover up?" Oliver asked, eyes dark with the implications.

"Or," Mai said slowly, "when Coulson died, they got the news and never heard otherwise."

"Makes sense," John said. "Telling someone a person died is hard enough but telling them the person came back to life is harder. It can bring up questions that can't be answered easily or sometimes not at all."

"Yes," Shaadi said. "That would be the most logical conclusion."

"By the way," Mai said, propping a fist on her hip and looking at Shaadi incredulously. "Since when do you sit on the ground?"

"Since it was available and hidden by the vehicle next to me," Shaadi replied.

"I have an idea of where to go now," Kaiba said. "There are at least two places in New York that attracted my attention. I can't reach them with my Shadows and that worries me. Also, most of the Avengers' information was focused in New York City. That's where Iron Man lives and his tower acts as a temporary base for the Avengers."

"You think it's a good idea to get involved with them?" John asked.

Kaiba eyed the other man closely. "Why do you ask?"

"Because we learned a couple things too." He waited for Mai to pull out her phone and hand it to her Regent before continuing. "They have a Norse god in their group."

"'God' as in-?" Kaiba listened but did not looked up from the images Mai had surreptitiously taken of the newspaper article.

"Alien Viking like Sif and... _her_ ," Oliver said hesitantly, refusing to say Lorelei's name. Kaiba did not blame him.

"His name's Thor," John said. "From what we read, he can fly, summon lightning, and throw a hammer."

Kaiba felt an eyebrow lift. "A hammer?" John nodded. "How boorish."

John laughed before sobering. "By the way," he said softly, "you doin' okay?"

Kaiba sighed and handed Mai back her phone. "The King was shot," he said simply. "He's fine last I checked. Since I haven't heard or felt anything from him, I'm assuming he's still in surgery. The Balance is still kept so he isn't dead."

"Think it's the same guy?"

"Definitely. But this time was different," he said. "He shot Yugi and took something from the mutt."

"You said 'ripped' it," Oliver corrected.

"That's what it felt like," Kaiba said nodding. "The shooter took something from the Light. I'm not sure what, but whatever it is has caused both the King and the Knight to panic." He leaned back against the truck and narrowed his eyes. "It bothers me."

"Coming from you, that makes me worry," Mai said warily. She huffed. "Enough of this doom and gloom. I need coffee and I know you do too," she said, pointing to Kaiba. "Let's find a cafè or something and head to New York."

"Or head to New York and find a cafè," John offered. "NYC is the City that Never Sleeps. We'll be better off finding a place to get a good coffee there."

Mai looked around at the small town and nodded. "Point." She sighed dramatically. "If only I had my _Harpie_."

"Do you think you can teleport us there, Shaadi?" Oliver asked.

"I have flown into New York before, but it has been years," Shaadi said. "This is also a different world and things may not necessarily be the same."

"What if I looked up the parking deck at the airport or something on Google Maps?" Mai offered, holding out her phone. "That is, if they have Google Maps here. Do they have Google Maps here?"

"I would need the street view of the place to get a good visualization," Shaadi said, standing, "but yes, that should be sufficient."

"Can I just say I'm glad our phones still work here," Oliver said.

"You're telling me," Mai said. "Our phones would work no matter what, but the fact we can get a signal and use the Internet and whatnot..." She shook her head in obvious relief. "I'm thrilled beyond words. I won't look a gift horse in the mouth."

She fiddled with the screen before holding it out to Shaadi. The Advisor took the small device and studied the image on it. He traced a finger along the screen, turning the street view images in a complete circle for a full minute before nodding to himself and handing her back the phone.

"I should be able to get us there now," he said. "But we should hurry. I too would like a cup of tea."

"Tea?" John parroted as he took Shaadi's offered hand. "I didn't peg you for a tea drinker."

"I prefer star anise or licorice tea," Shaadi said as the others joined hands. "I am old fashioned that way."

A car drove by and John blushed, looking around at their group holding hands in a circle in the middle of a dark, mostly empty parking lot. "I feel like I'm in a cult," he muttered.

Kaiba smirked. "Didn't you know? I'm a pagan god. This _is_ a cult."

John groaned just as the Advisor's teleport activated.


	17. Hacking, Pranking, and Riding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Tony gets some serious news, not sure if it's bad or good, and Helios and Mokuba struggle to find a place in the X Mansion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** I'm ashamed of the delay but I now have 3 jobs on top of being a full time student. -_-; I'm dying. Oh, and my allergies kicked into overdrive after last night's icy debacle. ...yay... Can you just hear my enthusiasm? *drips sarcasm*
> 
> Enjoy this in the meantime. Night.

It was a mere stroke of luck that Stark was at SHIELD and near a computer when the hack first started. Alright, luck did not have much to do with the latter since he lived with a mechanical device within easy reach, but the first part was a coincidence. Even though he was a consultant for SHIELD and not an actual employee, he still offered to help counter the cyber attack. He enjoyed exercising his computer skills and showing off a little, or a lot.

Agent Hill sat him down at the nearest available computer and stared over his shoulder. He told her not so politely to back off because staring over someone's shoulder was weird, okay? It just was.

A couple things about this situation stood out to Stark. First, the hacker was quick and efficient. Second, they bounced between files and dossiers with no clear rhyme or reason between them. Third, the hacker was not bothering to block or even hide their IP address. And fourth, they had help. The hacker had clearly created some sort of program to help prevent anyone from stopping them.

 _/Do you even know what you're looking for?/_ he typed into a chatbox he managed to open on the hacker's computer.

Stark was impressed by the hacker's skill and speed, but questioned their reasons for hacking a powerful agency like SHIELD so haphazardly. Stark had no problem establishing communications with the other hacker while JARVIS began heckling with the hacker's computer program. There was still no response from the hacker.

 _/Are you ignoring me? I'm kinda offended,/_ he typed.

JARVIS was able to locate the source of the program and began systematically attacking it.  The program was surprisingly fast, destroying JARVIS's constructs before the portable device the program was stored in was removed by the hacker him or herself. Stark took advantage of the temporary lag to gain full access of the hacker's computer. Still no reply from the hacker.

_/You really are ignoring me./_

"Got it," he called aloud.

He only distantly heard Agent Hill order the view screens on the walls to use Stark's computer as their main feed. Tony activated the webcam on the hacker's computer and was surprised to see the hacker was a young man.

 _/Hey! You're younger than I am! Totally not fair,/_ he typed.

The hacker eyes flicked up to webcam in annoyance. The hacker began withdrawing from the SHIELD computers, pausing to finally, _finally_ type a reply to Tony's message.

_/Tell Coulson the Regent says hello./_

Tony stared at the computer screen and then up at the view screens above visible to everyone in the room. Silence hung heavy on the audience for several precious seconds as the last message the hacker sent sat there taunting them. Tony felt all the humor drain out of him faster than falling out of a window.

 _/Coulson's dead,/_ he typed dully.

On the webcam, the young hacker paused his movements to read the message. A thin eyebrow lifted in a perfect arch of disbelief. After a couple seconds, he typed a reply. The moment the message sent, the hacker finished logging out of the computer, grabbed his phone and cord, and left. But hardly anyone was paying attention to the hacker at that point. They were all reading the hacker's reply.

_/Unless he somehow died within the last several hours since I spoke to him face to face, which I doubt, then he's very much alive./_

"The hell?" Tony muttered. Curiosity, man.

Tony deliberately began hacking into Shield's personnel files, specifically for Coulson's file, ignoring the fact that dozens of SHIELD employees were in the room with him and every action he took on his computer was visible to everyone on the overhead monitors. No one tried to stop him.

Well, no real person did, anyway. Online, he was met by some seriously heavy duty firewalls, but if anything that just renewed his interest. He worked harder, even bringing in JARVIS until he successfully downloaded most of Coulson's file before SHIELD stopped him. He could expect a visit from Fury within the hour, but that did not bother him.

He was too busy focusing on the bits and pieces of Coulson's file he managed to borrow without permission. His eyes were pinned on the big, red, caps-locked letters printed boldly at the top of the first page of the file: **ACTIVE.**

Coulson was alive.

"What the hell?"

He stood, eyes lifting to the view screens above seeking confirmation of his find. But those big red letters were the same on those monitors as well. **ACTIVE.**

"JARVIS," Tony called.

"Yes sir," the A.I. Replied politely.

"Tell me you recorded all that."

"Recorded, copied, and archived, sir."

Hill put her hand on Tony's shoulder and he let her, sensing she needed something solid and real to anchor her as well. Clearly she was just as shocked by this revelation as everyone else in the room. A quick glance around him showed similar expressions of shock, disbelief, and fearful hope on everyone's faces.

"Oh, Fury's got some serious explaining to do," he said pulling out his phone to call a few friends. They deserved to hear the 'good news' as well. He'd have to thank this 'Regent' for the information, and maybe suggest a name change to something more impressive like 'His Majesty' or something like that.

* * *

 

Mokuba sat on a bench outside watching the other kids play basketball. One of the kids had the ability to teleport himself across the court. Another had fantastic speed. Altogether, it was cool to watch. He looked up when he noticed Helios walk over to him holding two styrofoam cups and sandwich bags. The Titan sat next to Mokuba and handed him his share.

"Is Euos coming?" Mokuba asked.

Helios grinned. "He's on his way as we speak," he replied, gazing up at the sky.

"Is that why you wanted to sit in the sun?" Mokuba asked referring to bench they sat on.

Helios nodded. "This may not be _my_ sun but my and Euos' power are still bound to it. It's easier for us to find things when they're in the sunlight. And since Euos is a part of me, he is always drawn to me and I to him."

Mokuba stared down at his drink. "I want a horse," he grumbled.

Helios laughed. "I doubt your brother would be able to deny you that or anything else for that matter," he said.

"Yeah, but nii-sama doesn't like the outdoors much," Mokuba grumbled. "He likes the city."

"He likes parks," Helios countered. "And I happen to know his previous incarnation adored riding. Kisara once told me about Set's pet sha too."

"Sha?"

Helios nodded. "A canine similar to a jackal that is now extinct as far as I know." Sun gold eyes saddened. "I can only guess that when Set fell from the humans' favor, they hunted down the sha he adored to the point they no longer existed. I know they defaced many of Set's monuments and his name glyphs or anything referencing him."

Mokuba's eyes had grown huge and watered so Helios smiled reassuringly and fell silent. Instead, he took a sip of water encouraging Mokuba to do the same. They sat together in sober silence until a shadow fell over them from behind and they turned. The shadow belonged to a large man with blue skin almost entirely covered by blue fur. Helios nodded a greeting while Mokuba ducked his head to the side so his eyes were in her shadow so he could see her more clearly.

"Hi," he said. "You want to eat with us?"

The person chuckled. "Well, I've already eaten but I would like to sit with you, yes," he said.

His voice was deep and soothing. Helios scooted over so the man could sit next to him instead of next to Mokuba. If the man caught the movement, he made no sign of it. He sat down with a heavy sign, placing both hands on his knees and relaxing.

"I do love sitting outside on days like this," he said. "Oh, forgive me. I'm Hank McCoy, a professor here," he said, extending his hand to Helios first and then Mokuba. "Now, I'm afraid I don't know who's who."

"I am called Helios," the Titan said, taking the hand carefully and shaking it. "This is Mokuba." Mokuba waved, his mouth too full of sandwich to reply coherently. "You are a professor you say? What do you teach?"

"No need to be so formal, Helios," Hank said. "Some of my students call me Beast if that helps break the ice a bit. I teach math and science. My class starts in half an hour if either of you are interested in attending. I enjoy guests on occasion."

"I won't have to do homework, will I?" Mokuba asked morosely.

Hank threw his head back in a jovial belly laugh that eased Helios's nerves and brought a soft smile to his face. "No, no. Don't worry, son," Hank said kindly. "It's just a lecture. And you aren't actually a student here so I can't give you homework. You could just sit in and listen if you'd like. Feel free to ask questions too."

"What will you be teaching?" Helios asked curiously.

"We're in chapter four of the textbook in this class right now so basic astronomy," he replied. "We'll be talking about the sun today and the planets, or as many as I can get into one lecture, tomorrow."

"Really? Cool!" Mokuba exclaimed. "Helios knows a lot about astronomy."

Helios blushed and laughed uncomfortably. "Well, it is a bit of a requirement, I suppose," he said.

"Oh, do you have the ability to use solar power then?" Hank asked easily.

Helios blinked. "Why do you ask?"

Hank just smiled. "Don't worry," he said gently. "You aren't the only one. Bobby's around here somewhere. He'll be in my class if you want to meet him."

"Someone else can use solar power?" Helios asked surprised. "It does not overwhelm him?"

"Well, too much would, I suppose," Hank admitted. "But isn't that true for anyone? And what about you, young man?" he asked, leaning forward so he could see Mokuba happily eating his food and kicking his feet absently. "What kind of powers to do you have, if you don't mind me asking?"

Mokuba thought for a moment before answering, "I keep my brother balanced, I guess," he said. "That's why I'm here. Mister Charles said he would help me find my brother."

"Did something happen to him, then?" Hank asked gently.

"Someone attacked him and we ended up here," Helios said. "I am unsure how such a thing happened but we are separated because of it."

"I see," the mutant professor said sadly. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked."

"It's okay," Mokuba said, swallowing his mouthful. "He's alive. He'll find me, he always does." The young boy flashed a brilliant smile at the blue furred man who laughed heartily.

"I'm sure you're right," Hank said before checking his watch and standing. "It seems it's time for me to get ready for class. Please come sit in if you're interested. And ask questions, I do like questions. It makes me feel important."

He waved and walked back to the buildings humming and with an extra bounce to his step.

"I like him," Mokuba said cheerfully.

Helios smiled and glanced at the sky. Euos still had not arrived. It was beginning to worry to Titan. "It is taking longer than it should for him to find me," he murmured.

"It is?" Mokuba asked, looking around as well.

Helios nodded soberly. "He's normally faster than this."

The Titan closed his eyes and felt the sun overhead, allowing it to devour his senses. When he opened his eyes once more, they glowed with a solar fire uniquely his. Everyone and everything under the sun's light was visible to him in that moment, including Euos hovering in the air not too far south and west from Helios's position. It seemed this sun that was both Helios's and not was not allowing the Titan full access to his powers. It made sense when he thought about it, but it was still disconcerting.

Without the sun's support, Euos would need a signal of some kind to help guide him to his master. Obliging, Helios closed his eyes and called. The sun saw Euos lift his head and toss his mane recognizing Helios's power before galloping through the sky to his master.

Relieved, Helios cast his sun-empowered gaze across the landscape on the off chance Kaiba or anyone he knew was out in the sunlight. Far to the west in the middle of the desert and flying through the sky was none other than Green Lantern. Surprised, Helios stared harder, studying the details of the area, trying to recognize it. Lantern was flying with a giant airplane over a desert, possibly the same desert Helios and Mokuba had traversed the other day. Perhaps they should have remained where they fell instead of seeking aid. He opened his eyes and noticed Mokuba was staring at him curiously.

"Did you find him?" Mokuba asked.

Helios nodded. "I did. Euos was not far. He's on his way here now." Golden eyes sparkled. "I also saw Green Lantern."

"Green Lantern?" Mokuba parroted in confusion. "Does that mean nii-sama's here too?" he asked in excitement

"It is likely he is helping your brother, yes," Helios said. "They appear to be near where we were when we first arrived here. They're coming, I'm sure of it." He smiled and stood, brushing the crumbs off his lap and beginning to clean up. "Do you want to go to Mr. McCoy's class?"

Mokuba flushed. "Actually..."

Helios hummed. "I see." He glanced back at the mansion. "I will cover for you if you wish, but I suggest you don't wonder too far. Charles may be kind enough to open this place to us, but I doubt he would appreciate it if he found you in a place you shouldn't be."

"I won't get caught," Mokuba said confidently. "I escaped Pegasus's goons and probably would have gotten away if I hadn't stopped to duel Yugi."

Helios sighed. "Watch yourself, Mokuba," he said. "Charles is a powerful telepath, much stronger than he lets on. While I trust him to keep his word, I also trust him to protect his own."

"I know. I can do this," Mokuba said in growing annoyance. "I'm not a baby, you know."

Helios's eyes widened and his shoulders dropped. "I know," he said. "You just remind me of my sister."

Mokuba paused in his clean up and stared at Helios curiously. "Selene?"

"No," Helios murmured, shaking his head. "Eos."

"Oh," Mokuba muttered, shifting awkwardly. "Sorry."

"Don't be," Helios said, a soft smile on his face. "It's nice. Although I think Kaiba will fight me viciously if he even suspects I might steal you away as my sibling," he joked, winking playfully.

Mokuba cackled. "He'd obliterate you."

The two shared a smile before Helios stood. "While you use the restroom, I'll be in Mr. McCoy's class. Do not be long," he said, casting a sly glance over his shoulder.

Mokuba snickered and followed Helios until they got inside, then he slipped down the hall the opposite way from the classroom. He was not sure if Helios even knew where he was going since neither of them were familiar with the layout of the place. He was thrilled Helios trusted him enough to let him wander alone, but simultaneously nervous.

Helios was right, Charles was powerful. Mokuba could feel it like he could Pegasus's power. It was nowhere near the same but it was there. Mokuba's Shadows felt constrained in this place. He wanted to find a place where the buffer or whatever it was could not hold him back as much. His Shadows were not as strong as his big brothers as far as presence or sheer, raw power but they were sneaky and slippery. Mokuba was still a Kaiba and however much he hated Gozaboro, he could pin the unique streak of Shadows he had almost solely to the bastard.

He rounded a corner and stumbled back when a soft _bamf_ heralded the unexpected arrival of a blue skinned person. For a split second, he thought he had been caught but another once over of the person revealed that, despite this person's odd blue skin, this was not Mr. McCoy, but someone else entirely. This person was younger and thinner and had a long, swishing tail. He was also much younger.

When the other person's eyes met Mokuba, they both froze. Mokuba was the first to move. He burst into a smile and let loose a deluge of excited Japanese. The blue person straightened in surprise and began waving his hands desperately trying to silence Mokuba until finally placing both hands over the Japanese boy's mouth.

"Shoosh!" the blue boy whispered as loudly as he dared. "Do you want to get us caught?"

Mokuba wisely fell silent still grinning when the blue boy removed his hands from his mouth. Mokuba leaned close and whispered, "You're blue!" The other boy shied away, his tail flicking nervously but Mokuba did not notice. "That's so cool."

That startled the other boy. He crouched slightly so he could face Mokuba directly. He cocked his head to the side in an almost birdlike manner and asked, "Cool?"

Mokuba nodded. "Yeah." Big dark gray eyes gleamed as he leaned forward to whisper in excitement. "Are you skipping too?"

The blue boy's tail flicked. "Why do you say that?"

"'Cause I am," Mokuba said conspiratorially. "Wanna team up?" The blue boy glanced around in confusion. "I'm Mokuba, by the way," he said, extending his hand. "Who're you?"

The boy hesitated before shaking Mokuba's hand. "Kurt," he said. "Are you... You're accent-"

"Japanese," Mokuba replied. "Your's is...German?"

Kurt nodded with a grin. His yellow eyes twinkled. "You like pranks?"

Mokuba's grin grew. "I have a big brother. What do you think?"

Kurt's hesitancy vanished, replaced by a sneaky smile. "Wanna help me out?"

* * *

Helios opened into the fourth door in the hallway, sincerely hoping _this_ was McCoy's classroom. Thank heavens it was. As quietly as he could, he slipped into the classroom. It not a huge lecture hall but it was decently sized. He leaned against the back wall ignoring the curious eyes that turned back to see who had come in. Mr. McCoy was lecturing from the front of the classroom, writing the equation for finding the emissivity of a blackbody on the chalkboard while the image of the sun was projected on a screen on the left.

The professor turned around at the stir and smiled widely when he saw Helios. "Decided to join us?" he called in a friendly manner.

Helios sighed and nodded. "I apologize for the distraction," he said.

"No, it's fine," McCoy said. "At least you were trying to be quiet," he said, eyeing a particular group of children in the back. They immediately fell silent and Helios took a seat in one of the empty seats in the back row near the door.

"Is Mokuba coming?"

Helios shook his head. "Soon, yes. But he had some business to attend to." Helios lifted a brow and McCoy nodded in understanding.

"Well then," the blue furred professor said, turning back to his students, "can anyone explain to me what a blackbody is and how it pertains to the sun, hm?"

* * *

"Are you sure this will work?" Mokuba asked, peering over the edge of the roof and through the window into the classroom beyond.

"Would you doubt me?" Kurt asked, placing a hand over his heart in mock offense. Mokuba snickered. The blue mutant winked. "Trust me. I set up everything before class started. I was able to include your little additions too. Now it's up to you."

Kurt flicked his tail and watched with interest as Mokuba leaned over again to stare into the classroom with a focused expression. Little did he know that Mokuba was concentrating on making his inexperienced Shadows obey his will. All he had to do was turn on the ceiling fans and everything else would take care of themselves.

He felt his Shadows tickling his senses, rising up around him, before stretching out and slipping under the desks and chairs. He had to focus a little harder to make his Shadows reach the ceiling fans, but when they did, he smiled. He materialized a small, slender Shadow tendril, felt for the chain and tugged.

Immediately, the fan blades began spinning, picking up speed and tossing their burden on top of all the people below. Sparkles, glitter, and glow-in-the-dark stars sprayed the stunned students and professor. Some of the girls squealed when sparkles went down their shirts, the guys cried out in indignation when they discovered sequins and confetti in their hair, but none of the glow-in-the-dark stars ever reached their targets. Instead, several halted mid-fall and hovered thanks to the telekinetic ability of at least one student, the rest were yanked from their original trajectory and began orbiting one of the people in the far back.

Mokuba's eyes grew large when he recognized Helios. "Oops," he muttered.

"What?" Kurt asked, poking his head in the window. His eyes too grew huge and he muttered something that was most likely an exclamation in German. The little stars were whirling around Helios who was glowing softly, powering the stars and making them glow brighter as well. Moments later, the stars too fell to the ground.

"He glows," Kurt murmured. "And he's a telekinetic?"

Mokuba shook his head. "No, that was probably just gravity manipulation," he said. "Helios can manipulate the gravity around him."

"Kurt Wagner!" McCoy's voice bellowed. "Since I know you're watching, why don't you at least come in and experience your practical joke personally."

"Scheiße!" Kurt laughed. He glanced at Mokuba sympatheticlly. "Sorry," he said, not in the least bit sorry.

Mokuba snickered. "Yeah right."

Kurt _bamfed_ the two of them into the room with a wide grin on his face. McCoy did not seem angry at all. He had a small smile on his face but a warning in his eye. His eyes widened when they caught sight of Mokuba and he groaned.

"Converting the innocent so soon, are we?" he asked.

Kurt waved his hands to stave off too much blame. "Actually, the glow-in-the-dark stars were his idea," the blue mutant said pointing to his companion. Mokuba grinned proudly. "And he turned on the fans," Kurt added with a wink.

"Face it, sir," a cute girl with her hair in a ponytail pulling sparkles out of her hair chirped. "It worked with your lecture. The stars absorbed the light energy then emitted it as light. I'd say they're blackbodies, wouldn't you?"

McCoy blinked in surprise, then sighed in defeat. Perhaps, Charles was right about the boy's potential, he thought glancing at Mokuba. "No, they aren't. Now you two," he turned back to the teenaged deviants with exasperation, "go take a seat and listen to this lecture. And while you're at it, help clean up this mess."

 _:I assume the person behind that commotion was Kurt?:_ Charles asked in Hank's mind, startling the teacher.

 _:Kurt and his new partner in crime, Mokuba, yes,:_ Hank said.

Charles chuckled. _:Really? I'm glad. Kurt needs a friend.:_

_:Even if it tries my patience?:_

_:Now, now, Hank. No harm done,:_ Charles's voice said. _:Helios is there, isn't he? How did he react to the prank?:_

Hank glanced over at the white haired young man who was currently helping a young girl pick sparkles out of her hair. _:He glows and has some telekinetic ability, I believe.:_

_:According to Mokuba through Kurt, it was gravity manipulation.:_

_:Was it indeed? Fascinating. I assume you've talked to Doctor Strange about them.:_

_:I have yes,:_ Charles confirmed. _:He was busy at the time so he could not speak long, but he did say he met a group of travelers from another reality who mentioned searching for a brother.:_

_:Another **reality**?:_

_:Yes. Logan, Scott, and Ororo have been made aware of this.:_

_:Do we know where the group is?:_

_:Unfortunately, no. The communication was broken by what the good Doctor believes to be the bifrost and I cannot find anyone in the area of the bifrost activity like our two friends. I am looking, but it is not easy. Something is...blocking me.:_ The mood of Charles's mind voice changed. _:But that is not the reason I'm contacting you. It would behoove you to know something has been trying to look for the school.:_

_:I see. Should we expect an attack?:_

_:I am not entirely sure, but it would be wise to be aware.:_ Charles replied.

 _:Yes, knowing is half the battle,:_ Hank said. _:Anything else?:_

 _:It can wait. I can tell your students are getting a bit restless,:_ Charles said with audible amusement. _:I'll leave you to it.:_

 _:Thank you. I'll inform you if anything happens.:_ Hank turned his attention back to his class. "Now," he said aloud, "can anyone tell me what a blackbody is? Kurt, since you clearly know enough to skip most of today's class, how 'bout you?"

"A blackbody is a theoretical construct used by scientists which absorbs all forms of electromagnetic radiation and emits all forms of electromagnetic radiation no matter the wavelength."

"That-" Hank paused when he noticed Kurt had never moved his mouth. He looked Mokuba sitting at the desk next to the prankster, kicking his legs happily, and smiling unrepentantly. "That's correct. Where did you learn that?"

"I'm technically a senior in high school and have been taking college classes for the past couple years now. Nii-sama insisted," Mokuba said proudly.

"Did your brother teach you?"

"Everything that's important, yep," Mokuba said.

"Well, I'm sure he's very proud of you," Hank said kindly.

Helios bit back a grin and relaxed as Hank began speaking again. The lecture was interesting if a bit odd. It was strange listening to someone talk about a part of himself in such a way. There were a few differences between Helios's sun and the sun of this world though, it seemed. This world's sun was nearing the end of its sunspot cycle but Helios knew his sun was in between cycles. That certainly helped explain a bit why Helios's powers fluxuated here.

Sunspots indicated the sun was close to switching magnetic poles. At the height if the sunspot activity there would be a lot of electromagnetic activity, flares, and coronal mass ejections. It could become dangerous for this planet if any of the ejections struck the earth directly, but it also affected Helios personally. His temper became slightly harder to control, his powers tended to fluctuate in intensity, and it sometimes made him giddy. Selene experienced similar reactions when the moon became full and caused a solar eclipse. It always used to amuse Eos how her siblings would come home with off mannerisms and their heads in the clouds.

Eos.

Suddenly, Helios did not want to be here anymore. Some things were best left buried. The lecture was almost finished anyway and Mokuba seemed to have found a friend in the blue mutant boy. Also, Helios could feel Euos nickering on the edge of his mind. Helios would much rather be near Euos than dwelling on dark memories and pointless thoughts in a crowd of people.

He stood and slipped out of the classroom as quietly as he could and wandered back down the dark wood hallways towards the main door. He pushed open the heavy portal and stepped back outside. The warm sunlight flickered as the trees swayed in a cool breeze. The sun had dropped behind the treeline but the field beyond was still mostly in sunlight.

It was quiet except for a few of the mutant youngsters sitting or playing in the gardens. A few if the older children were studying or listening to music. It seemed most of the students had already left to get ready for their next class leaving the few brave souls who dared to skip behind. Helios paid them no mind. Instead, he closed his golden eyes and drew on his power, searching for his longtime friend. He held on until he was sure he heard a familiar whinny with his own ears before released his power.

When he opened his eyes once more, Euos was prancing restlessly in the open field just beyond the row of trees lining the walkway near the basketball court. Euos lowered his head and nudged his master, eager for attention. Helios reached up and scratched the long forehead sedately, smiling peacefully. He was older now and could afford take his time with things. He chuckled when he remembered the brash young man he had been in his youth. How Euos had tolerated him back then was sometimes beyond the Titan. Euos snorted, picking up on his master's thoughts and Helios chuckled.

A low murmur behind him alerted Helios that he and Euos had gathered a small crowd. He glanced over his shoulder curiously. One of the group was the girl with the white streaked hair who arrived here with Helios and Mokuba earlier that day on the aircraft. She stood slightly apart from the crowd and still wore her gloves Helios noticed absently. She smiled at him briefly before looking back at Euos.

"It's alright," Helios said. "You can touch him. He's spirited but age has tempered him somewhat." Euos snorted and tossed his head showing what he thought of that statement.

The girl pointedly crossed her arms, burying her gloved hands in her armpits flashing him another quick, shy smile as she did so. Helios nodded acknowledging her wishes and turned back to his steed. Euos flicked white his ears towards him and swished his tail when Helios rested his head on the stallion's neck.

"I see you have a friend."

"Yes," Helios replied, glancing over his shoulder to the new speaker. Charles was sitting in his wheelchair watching the Titan with a gentle smile on his face. Helios nodded a greeting. "You don't have to worry about sheltering him," he said. "He prefers to run free."

"Much like his master, I'm sure," Charles said earning a small smile from Helios. "I wonder, could I?"

Helios nodded and stepped aside for the older man to approach. Charles nodded and murmured a soft "thank you" as he wheeled closer. Euos stepped forward and extended his nose to meet the man halfway. The stallion huffed and snuffled the human's hand hoping for food. Charles laughed and held out both hands regretfully.

"Nothing, sorry," he said. "I should have planned better. Maybe next time we meet I'll have an apple for you. How does that sound?"

Euos shook his head and whinnied to Charles's delight. Even the shy girl with gloves smiled. Helios whispered softly and Euos flicked his ears in response.

"That was Greek, correct?" Charles asked.

"It was, yes," Helios replied.

"You know, if you wanted to go for a ride, you do not need to ask my permission." Helios's surprise must have been clearly written on his face because Charles chuckled. "I took ancient Greek and Latin in school," he said. "Granted is has been a while and I'm a bit rusty but something like that stays with you. My words stand, by the way. If you want to ride, you do not need to ask my permission. I would like it if you did not leave the property but I'm sure a ride would do no harm."

He sat back from Euos and shifted in his wheelchair. "Incidentally, before you do, would you mind if I asked you a question?"

"No, not at all," Helios said.

"You said you had heard of Thor but never met him," Charles began.

Helios nodded. "This is true," he said slowly. "Most of the people I know have at least heard of him. He is the Norse god of thunder and strength among other things depending on who you ask." Sun gold eyes pierced into dark blue. "Why?"

"Because your mind is reminiscent of his," Charles said calmly. "Before you ask, no I have not looked into your mind. I believe in privacy. But that does not mean I am blind to what is in front of me. Your mind feels similar to Thor's."

"You speak as if you know him personally," Helios said carefully.

Charles shrugged. "I will be honest, I have never met him directly but I have seen him and felt his mind. It is," his lips curved up in a wry smile, "hard to miss. Yours is the same. And yet, you are not Asgardian."

Helios hesitated. "No, I am not."

Charles hummed thoughtfully. _:You are not human either,:_ he said in Helios's mind.

The Titan stiffened. _:You said you believe in privacy,:_ he said.

 _:I do,:_ Charles said. _:I am merely listening and projecting my words to you. Nothing more. You have my word.:_

 _:I believe you.:_ After a moment, Helios finally replied, _:No, I'm not human.:_

Charles nodded, unsurprised. "I have searched for your friend Mokuba's brother, but have had no luck finding him," he said aloud. "However, I have news that may interest you." Helios remained silent, listening closely. "A friend of mine, I believe I mentioned him when we last spoke, Doctor Strange is his name. He told me he met a group of individuals who were looking for a brother."

 _:He said they were from another reality,:_ Charles finished mentally.

Helios nodded. "Yes," he said aloud to the unspoken question. "I am aware at least one of them is currently in the American west, though where the rest of them are, I do not know."

"Now that's interesting," Charles said. His eyes and voice were unaccusing, simply genuinely curious. "How do you know where they are?"

"If I focus," Helios began, "I can see everything under the sun at once. It can be overwhelming at times, which is why I rarely do it. But it is an ability I have."

"I see," Charles said, sounding very much like a scientist learning something new about a subject of interest. "That's an impressive ability, though I can see how it can be debilitating. I assume that's where you get your name?"

Helios nodded. "I suppose you can say it came from my name," he said.

Charles nodded with a chuckle. "Yes, I suppose you could say that." His wise eyes sparkled with knowledge as he returned his gaze to the fiery steed. "Well, I'll leave you two in peace. Try to come back before sundown though. We lock up early. Oh, and, if possible, I would like to take you and Mokuba to New York City to meet my friend, Doctor Strange."

"He cannot come here?" Helios asked.

Charles shook his head regretfully. "Unfortunately no. I try to keep the knowledge of this place and those that stay here limited to as few as possible. Do not worry. Stephen is a nice man; you can trust him."

"Stephen?"

"Doctor Stephen Strange," Charles clarified. "Stephen is his first name. Could you and Mokuba be ready to leave around midmorning tomorrow, let's say ten o'clock?"

Helios nodded. "We could, yes."

"I look forward to seeing you then," Charles said. With one last look at Euos, he turned around and wheeled away, gesturing for the other students including the quiet girl to head back to the mansion and leave Helios in peace.

A ride was exactly what Helios needed right now. He never knew how much he would miss riding his chariot until he suddenly could not do it. It had been nagging at him for a long time and the brief escapades across the United States of this reality were nice, but nowhere near enough. This ride would not be enough either, but it would be worth a try.

He mounted Euos who pranced, ready to gallop, ready to fly. Helios gently guided Euos around back to the field before leaning forward. Euos took that as the signal and leapt forward, racing across the grass as a sedate pace for him. The wind whipped through his mane and Helios's hair. This is what they both needed.

The freedom of the earth and sky, the sun setting just beyond them, the wind blowing them, life around them. To escape the people and darker memories for the slightest hint of freedom and his old life before things went to hell. To escape duties and the memories of Zeus. To escape the nagging feeling that he was being watched.


	18. Verbal Exchanges

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the Inner Court gets to talk, drinking happens, awkward questions are asked, and information is exchanged. Basically, no one shuts up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** Two updates in two days? Oh yes! I'm back~ I totally should have been studying for my Climatology test tomorrow. I'll regret it later.

Yugi woke slowly, groggy from the medication. When he was finally awake enough to be aware, he realized he was not alone. His mother, Grandpa, Jounouchi and Honda were there by his side. Jounouchi looked horrible. His skin was pale and there were dark circles under his eyes. Worse, Yugi could feel a hole in Jounouchi's Shadows. They twitched and tried to seal it up, but could not. The Knight's Light was uncertain, overshadowed by despair.

Honda was morose and obviously feeling horrible. His face was buried in his large hands. His hair was not perfectly coiffed as it usually was, but hung in loose strands as if he had been in an awful hurry and did not have the time to spare to make sure he looked good. His leather jacket was draped over Yugi's Grandpa's shoulders.

Yugi's mother and Grandpa were seated on the other side of Yugi's bed. Mrs. Mutou was resting her head against her father-in-law's shoulder crying softly. Grandpa held her gently, running his hand up and down her back soothingly.

 _:They've been in the waiting room for a while now,:_ Yami whispered in Yugi's mind. _:The doctors just let them in here about fifteen minutes ago.:_

Grandpa first noticed Yugi was awake and offered a teary smile. "Yugi?" he asked, as if unsure whether he was imagining things.

Yugi smiled back and offered a small wave with his right hand. "Hi."

"Yugi!"

"Yug'!"

"My baby!" Mrs. Mutou all but fell on the hospital bed, hugging Yugi as firmly as she dared. "My precious baby!"

Yugi smiled and tried to lift his uninjured right arm to rest on his mother's back but he was too tired. He settled for nuzzling with his cheek. "I'm okay," he said, slurring the words from the medications still in his system. "It's not that bad. I'm...I've had worse."

His mother hugged him tighter and his left should twinged. "You'd better not have," she said, leaning back to meet her only son's eyes. "If I find out you've been shot before-"

"He hasn't," Honda said quickly. "Promise. He was trying to make you feel better." Brown eyes met Yugi's but the young King was too medicated to catch the full meaning of the look. Thankfully, Jounouchi and Yugi's Grandpa did understand.

"Yeah," Jounouchi said, perhaps a bit too loudly. "He'll be okay. He was referring to his duels. He's a trooper, he'll pull through."

"Yes, he always has before," Grandpa said calmly. "There's no reason to believe he won't now." He gently eased Mrs. Mutou away from her son. "Come on now, give him some air."

Yugi smiled. "I'm fine Mom, really," he said. "I'm too drugged to feel anything," he added, giggling groggily.

He must have fallen asleep again because when he blinked, his mother and Grandpa were gone leaving only Jounouchi and Honda with him. Something tugged at his mind which, after a moment, Yugi recognized as Kaiba's Shadows. He tugged on them weakly in return feeling a rush of relief in return along with a single word, garbled by distance and effort.

_:Idiot.:_

Yugi giggled and felt Yami appear in a spiritual form beside him, cuddling up with him and caressing him with a ghostly hand. Yugi sighed and drew on Yami's power to establish a firm line of communication with Kaiba. It took effort, more than he felt comfortable with, but it was doable. He needed to hold Court.

Yami solidified and reached for their Decks on a bedside table nearby, bringing them close so they rested between the two monarchs. He drew on Osiris's power, feeling Yugi draw on Ra's, and summoned Kaiba. After a minute or so, they felt Obelisk's power flare then they were in the Shadow Realm.

"I can't hold this for long, Yugi," Kaiba said. "We'll have to make this quick."

Yugi nodded, leaning against Yami standing behind him. Seth materialized next to the Regent and strode forward. His crystalline blue eyes darted across the King's body, searching for the bullet wound.

"Don't worry," Yugi said. "It's not bad." Kaiba glared at him, reinforced by Seth's equally cold glare. Yugi winced. "It really isn't," he insisted.

"Yes, I suppose that's why I felt it from another reality," Kaiba growled.

Yami and Yugi blinked in surprise. "You felt it?" Yugi gasped.

"Yes," Seth said. "It's how we knew to reach out and reinforce your Shadows." He unconsciously shifted closer to his Ka. "You need to recover soon. Seto cannot stay this Light for long."

"Especially not without Mokuba," Kaiba grumbled. He lowered his eyes in a brief show of worry before lifting them, the cold steel returned to their depths. "Did you see the shooter?"

"Yes," Yami said. "He was tall and blonde and drove a motorcycle unlike any I have ever seen. It was long and unusually shaped."

"Did you see his face?" Seth demanded.

Yami shook his head regretfully. "Unfortunately, no. I did not. He wore a mask of some kind and I was distracted by what happened."

"Yes," Kaiba said. "And what did happen exactly? Something was taken." His eyes darkened. "What was it?"

Yugi placed a comforting hand over Yami's resting on his uninjured shoulder. "He took Red Eyes Black Dragon."

Kaiba narrowed his eyes. "He stole the mutt's card? That's-"

"No," the Pharaoh correctly tersely. "He stole Red Eyes _from_ the card. Jounouchi summoned it and the bastard literally ripped Red Eyes from the card. The card is blank now."

"What?!" both souls of Set exclaimed.

"That's not possible!" Kaiba gasped.

"As the Monsters are now, it should not be possible to take them from their cards," Seth breathed.

"No," Yami said firmly. "If something, or some _one_ can be sealed _in_ a card, why can't something be taken _out?"_

"He's right," Yugi answered, shaking his head. "Red Eyes is gone."

"That doesn't make sense!" Kaiba snapped. "Why shoot us and _then_ try to steal our Monsters? What does the bastard want?"

"Perhaps he wanted our Monsters from the beginning," Yami offered. "The dead are hardly in a place to complain about thieves."

"That reminds me," Kaiba said. "How are your Triads handling this?"

"Anzu called," Yugi said. "She's worried but I was able to talk her out of coming here. Although, I think Honda may go to her. Jounouchi's at the hospital with me."

Yami blushed. "As for mine, I...have not been in contact with them."

"You haven't told them," Kaiba repeated flatly, glaring at the Pharaoh. "And I'm sure they'll just stay where they are minding their own business while their Pharaoh suffers from who knows what-"

"Seto," Seth said, placing a hand on his Ka's arm, calming him. "The Pharaoh probably has not had the chance to do so. They are still at the hospital. Is that not so?" he asked.

"It is," Yami said, nodding. "I meant to tell them, but it was more urgent for you to know. My Triad is still in Egypt last I heard. Marik can handle himself as can Ryou and Bakura."

"Ishizu?"

Yugi and Yami shook their heads in unison. "No word," Yami said. "I'm sorry. How are you doing? Have you found Mokuba?"

Kaiba huffed and looked away in a sulk. "Not yet but I will. He's most likely in New York. Speaking of." He turned back to the Pharaoh. "There are superheroes in this reality as well. I haven't met them yet that I know of, but I have met...a friend of Thor."

"Thor?" Yugi said.

"The Norse demigod?" Yami asked.

Kaiba snorted. "Hardly. Apparently, there are no 'gods' here like you and I or like any we've met back home. Here, the so-called gods are aliens who came here and people started worshipping them. They're most likely a long-lived species with powers or abilities humans typically don't have. Early humans would have worshipped such beings as gods."

"Like they did us," Yami said, nodding in understanding.

"You said you met one?" Yugi prodded.

"Yes," Seth said. "She called herself Sif of Asgard, and there is something you should know about her." He and Kaiba shared a look before he continued. "She could tell us apart."

"She could? Does she know about you?" Yugi demanded.

"I do not believe so, no," Seth said calmly. "But she could tell when Seto and I would switch control. She also witnessed a Judgment Game."

"A Judgment Game?" Yami said, eyes darkening. "For what reason was this done?"

"The bitch Sif and the humans with her were seeking took over Arrow's mind," Kaiba said darkly. "He's _mine._ No one takes what's mine, especially that way, and gets away with it."

Yami grinned and squeezed Yugi's shoulders and said, "A sentiment I agree with wholeheartedly. What was the Penalty Game, if I may ask?"

"I let kohai cast it," Kaiba said. "He is surprisingly shrewd. He stole her voice and her looks, everything she valued." He grinned in such a way, Yami actually cringed, reminded of when he and the KaibaCorp CEO first met. "It was very satisfying to watch."

"I'm sure it was," Yami mumbled.

"But how is Arrow handling it?" Yugi asked.

Kaiba shrugged but was obviously worried. Seth was the one who replied. "It bothers him a great deal and he refuses to speak her name."

Yugi nodded. "I understand." He winced. "Someone's trying to wake me up. Real fast! Are you having any more attacks?"

"Hm?" Kaiba blinked in confused. "Attacks?"

"Because of your tomb...you know."

Kaiba stilled. "Did Ishizu tell you?" Yugi flushed in embarrassment.

Seth crossed his arms self-consciously and spoke. "We have been fighting them as best we can."

"Yes," Kaiba said bluntly, eyeing Seth. "Quite frankly, it's more annoying than anything else."

"Marik told me he and his clan are doing their best to reinforce the spells guarding your tomb last we spoke," Yami said. "Bakura and Ryou are, shall we say, misplacing things."

"I'm sure they are," Kaiba sniffed disdainfully. He sobered after a moment. "Yugi," he said softly. "If they succeed in breaking into my tomb, what will happen?"

The Pharaoh and the King sighed. "We don't know," Yugi said. "But we think it's affecting you so severely because your ancient physical body is still there."

Kaiba blinked. "What does that have to do with anything?" he demanded, noticing the way Seth stiffened.

"The Ba is what normally inhabits the physical body while the Ka gives it life," Yami explained. "Because your soul and ours have been split, our Ba and Ka have become separate entities capable of existing as such. However, you Kaiba are a Ka, the spiritual part of the soul. You don't necessarily need a physical body to exist."

"That's why it was imperative you did not reject Seth as your Ba," Yugi said. "Seth needs a physical body to dwell in and a Ka to give him life so he can exist. Without one or the other, he would have withered away and died. The same would happen to me."

"But this _is_ my body," Kaiba said firmly.

"It is," Yugi agreed. "But so is the mummy in your tomb. Wait, let me finish. The mummy may be Set's body, but it is still yours in a way. Set's Ka once gave it life while his Ba inhabited it. Now, Set's soul is split and you, Kaiba, have your own body. But it is _your_ body _,_ not Seth's."

"Essentially, you were reborn in reverse," Yami said. "Instead of the Ba being reborn and the Ka joining it, the Ka was reborn forcing the Ba to fight for its existence."

"What are you getting at?" Kaiba hissed.

"Seth, as Set's Ba, would recognize the mummy in the tomb as one he formerly inhabited and may be drawn to it," Yugi said quickly, twitching as he fought back the urge to wake up. "It could confuse him having two bodies which are his."

"Get to the point!" Kaiba cried, seeing Yugi begin to fade.

"He may be forced to return to the mummy and die when there is no Ka to sustain his life," Yugi called. "Think of the Akh! _That's_ what Helios felt when he said we were gods. When you were Set reborn, you were an Akh. _That's_ what makes us gods! We're Akhs!"

 _"Akhs?!"_ Kaiba gasped.

"Hawks?" a voice repeated.

Startled by the unexpected voice, Kaiba whipped his head around and blinked owlishly in the light. It was dim in the corner booth of the small hole-in-the-wall restaurant. It was more of a bar than a restaurant at this hour, and the lights had been dimmed. John Stewart sat next to Mai at the edge of the semi-circular booth. Shaadi sat between Mai and Kaiba with Oliver on Kaiba's left near the other end of the booth.

The Regent blinked several times to both adapt to the lighting and come to terms with his location. New York City. They were in New York City and it was about -he checked his watch- correction, it _was_ 12:30 at night...morning. He groaned and dropped his head so his hands ran through his hair and began rubbing his aching neck.

"How'd it go?" Mai asked softly.

Kaiba groaned. "I need a drink."

"Want me to get you one?" the Sorceress offered gently.

Kaiba seriously considered the offer before shaking his head. "I got it."

He waited for Oliver to slide out of the booth before following. He nodded his thanks and began to make his way over to the bar when a hand on his shoulder stopped him. He turned and saw Oliver watching him with concerned eyes and a cheeky grin.

"Where do you think you're going, minor?" he asked.

Kaiba almost lashed out with his infamously wicked tongue when he realized Oliver was right. He was still a minor in this country. A particularly colorful curse in Japanese anyone would understand no matter what language they spoke startled a laugh from the vigilante.

"Don't worry," Oliver said. "I got you. Didn't you hear? I'm DD tonight."

"DD?" Kaiba asked curiously.

"Designated Driver," Oliver clarified. "I'm driving, so to speak, so I'm not drinking."

Nodding, Kaiba reluctantly allowed himself to sit back down in the booth. Almost immediately, he regretted it. He folded his arms on the table and rested his head face down in the middle of them. He heaved a sigh and focused on relaxing each stiff muscle in his back and neck. It took some concentration but it worked.

Naturally, all his hard work scrambled back to the way it was the moment a couple shots of tequila plunked down in front of him startling him. He lifted his head just enough for his eyes could see the glasses. After a few seconds of internal debate, he sighed, reached out, and took the first glass. He muttered something in what was probably hieratic because Shaadi blinked before draining the whole thing in one go.

"You know," John said slowly, "I'm not entirely sure tequila is supposed to be drunk like that."

"I agree," Mai said. "I'm not sure whether to be impressed or horrified. Ishizu will wring your neck when she hears about this."

"Then don't tell her," Kaiba grumbled.

"Since when do I ever let you tell me what not to tell Ishizu?" Mai said in a sing-song voice. "Besides, she probably already knows what you're up to, or will soon knowing her. Even without her foresight, she's fantastic at reading body language."

"Indeed," Shaadi said.

"See? Shaadi agrees with me," Mai said with a smirk. "Your argument is invalid."

Kaiba rolled his eyes and nursed the second cup, sipping it slowly. It definitely was not the best tequila he had ever had, but it was something and an alcoholic something so he supposed he could not complain.

"Yugi's fine," he said to everyone in general. "But the shooter, whoever he is, stole the mutt's Red Eyes."

"What?!" Shaadi gasped.

"Jounouchi?" Mai exclaimed.

"What's a Red Eyes?" John asked feeling distinctly out of the loop. Thankfully, it seemed Oliver was just as lost as he was.

"Remember the black dragon Jounouchi summoned last time when we fought Akhenadin?" Mai said, ignoring the way Kaiba still twitched at the name. John nodded carefully. "That's Red Eyes. It's full name is Red Eyes Black Dragon, but we call it Red Eyes for short."

"So it's like Blue Eyes?" John asked.

"Nowhere near as powerful as my Blue Eyes, but similar yes," Kaiba said. "After shooting Yugi in the chest, the mutt summoned Red Eyes and the bastard literally ripped the Monster from its card. It can't be summoned anymore. The bastard actually took a Shadow Monster."

"How do you get it back?" Oliver asked, leaning forward so he rested his forearms on the table.

"Presumably the same way you get a soul out of a card," Kaiba said. "Win it back."

"A soul out of a card?" John repeated in disbelief.

"Pegasus created the modern rendition of the Shadow Games, renamed it Duel Monsters, and essentially sealed the Shadow Monsters into cards instead of the stone tablets the Ancient Egyptians used," Kaiba said. "He stole my little brother's soul forcing me to duel him to get it back. When he defeated me, he stole my soul as well." Kaiba copied Oliver's pose, leaning forward with dark eyes. "Where do you think someone who created cards capable of binding and manipulating Shadow Monsters would store a soul?"

"A card," Oliver answered immediately.

"That's what Pegasus did?" John breathed. "He stole your soul? How did he-?"

"The Millennium Eye," Shaadi said. "He may not have been able to utilize its full potential, but he could pervert it to his purpose."

"The Eye was always perverted," Kaiba hissed under his breath.

"You said Yugi got your souls back," Oliver said. "I'm guessing he Dueled Pegasus and won."

Kaiba nodded. "He found a way to counter Pegasus's ability to read minds, thus preventing him from cheating, and was able to defeat him. By doing so, he forced Pegasus to free my, Mokuba's, and his Grandpa's souls from the cards we were bound to."

"But you can't duel someone whose identity we don't know," John said.

"Of that I am aware," Kaiba grumbled, taking another sip of his drink. "We do know the shooter is capable of traveling through realities. Who knows what else he's capable of."

"We really need to call him something other than 'the shooter,'" Mai said, holding up air quotes.

"The Bastard," Kaiba said quickly.

"All in favor, say 'aye,'" Oliver said. A chorus of 'ayes' followed and the vigilante nodded. "Alright, The Bastard it is then."

"At least we're close to finding Mokuba," Mai said, leaning back and sipping her tea. She grimaced when she remembered it was unsweet tea and stuck out her tongue. "Ugh. Pass me the sugars," she demanded.

Shaadi scooted the little container of sugar packets to the Sorceress who quickly ripped open four and poured their contents into her drink, stirring furiously and muttering all the while about uncivilized idiots who had no idea how to brew tea correctly. John and Oliver chuckled as Mai took another careful sip of the freshly sweetened tea. She sulked when she tasted the sugar. Sweet tea would never be real sweet tea unless the sugar was mixed in when the tea was brewed.

"This is the north, Mai," John said, patting the woman on the back.

"Yes," Mai moaned. "I pity their deprived lives."

Oliver and John laughed while Kaiba watched the word play with confusion and mild interest. Shaadi seemed content to just sit back and watch. He did glance up curiously when the little bell over the wooden door of the restaurant jingled but lost interest when the man sat down at the bar and ordered a drink.

He sighed despondently, fervently wishing he had a cup of hot, steaming tea at the moment. Ishizu always made the best tea. He missed the Priestess dearly. She had become important to him even without the influence of his past life.

"Shaadi," Kaiba said softly in Arabic. "Are you alright?"

The Advisor did not answer verbally but Kaiba silently set his cup of tequila down and stood. "I'll see if I can find some tea," he said before walking off.

"Where's he going?" John asked.

"To get tea," Shaadi said.

John nodded and fell back into his conversation with Mai. Oliver leaned around the corner of the booth to watch his Regent walk towards the bar.

"You should go after him," Shaadi said, drawing Oliver's attention. The Egyptian stared at the vigilante evenly, his eerie eyes seeming to pierce Oliver's soul. He hesitated.

"What's your sexual orientation, Shaadi?"

Oliver blinked and stared at Mai, shocked at the question. Apparently, John was also stunned by the blunt question but the Sorceress either ignored their surprise or did not notice.

Shaadi sighed and answered softly, "Asexual."

"Yes! Knew it! Jounouchi owes me five bucks!" she crowed.

Shaadi blinked and leveled the Sorceress with a disappointed gaze which only served to encourage her laughter. Deciding to escape the awkward situation while he could, Oliver stood and walked back to the bar. He could still hear Mai's cackles but they were muffled by the noise from the televisions over the bar playing sports one one, local news on another, and a soap opera of some kind on the third. Another man was sitting nearby holding a shot glass of what looked like whiskey but it was none of Oliver's business and he did not want to get involved.

He sat down on the stool next to Kaiba and said nothing. The Regent glanced fleetingly at him but otherwise waited silently for the barman to return from the kitchen. It took almost a minute for Oliver to build up the courage to speak.

"Does it ever go away?" he asked softly.

Kaib gazed at him fully for a moment before turning away, dropping his gaze to the dark wood bar. "No," he answered. "It doesn't. It stays. You'll never forget who did it, how it happened, and how it felt. It will haunt your dreams, give you nightmares, make you distrust anyone who even vaguely reminds you of them, and forever influence who you are and how you do things."

Oliver felt his heart drop to his feet and turned away. He started to say something; then sighed, shook his head and allowed it to hang in defeat.

"But you'll be stronger for it," Kaiba continued after a minute of silence. Oliver listened carefully. "You'll be more aware of the people around you, the things they do and say, and be slow to trust. But for those you do trust, demand and expect the same from them.

"It will not be easy," he continued. "An invasion like that..." Kaiba sighed, wishing he had not left his drink at the table so his fingers had something to fiddle with. "It damages the mind and soul. Your mind will forever have a path leading directly to it making you more vulnerable to mind control in the future. However, you can use this. Because you know what it feels like, you can anticipate it, think of ways around it, ways to fight it."

He paused and gazed thoughtfully at the sober vigilante. "Did anyone ever tell you of Ryou and Bakura's relationship before the Court?" Oliver shook his head. "Ryou was the host to Bakura's parasite. Bakura would completely subvert Ryou's consciousness, wearing his body like a costume and parade around as if he was Ryou. It's how he first met the King and the others. He challenged them to a tabletop role playing game where, unknown to the players, loosing meant binding their soul to their playing piece."

Kaiba rested his elbows on the bar and folded his hands so he could rest his chin on his fingers. "Ryou was able to fight Bakura hard enough to regain awareness of the situation and, when the opportunity struck, take control of his left hand. Bakura was literally unaware of what one hand was doing. Through this method, Ryou was able to help save his friends.

"Then during the Memory World MORPG, we found out Bakura himself was none other than a host to the enemy Zorc Necrophades. The Dark God saw Bakura's hate, fury, and potential and wormed his way into his mind before finally gaining control of him completely."

Kaiba paused to shrug. "It's one of the many reasons why that crime is one of the worst and the punishment for it is so heavy," he said.

Oliver nodded quietly. "Will it bother John?"

Kaiba glanced over his shoulder briefly before shrugging again. "Doubtful. I'm saying it won't. But if it does, it likely won't be as severe simply because he was unaware of the manipulation. You, however, were not only aware of what you were doing, but were completely conscious and hating yourself for it." The Regent dropped his gaze to a particularly dark knot in the bar wood grain. "There's a difference."

"And the soul thing?" Oliver asked hesitantly.

"Which one?" Kaiba asked, not lifting his eyes from the wood.

Oliver gave Kaiba The Look which was, unsurprisingly, ignored. Giving in, the vigilante sighed. "You said she may have my mind," he began slowly, "but my soul belonged to you. That you would collect it when I died," his green eyes flickered to Kaiba, "and that you wanted me balanced and uninfluenced."

Kaiba nodded. "I do. You are of my orientation and therefore must remain balanced and uninfluenced. Lorelei's power over your mind was influencing your Shadows, binding them. Surely you noticed."

"I did, yes," Oliver said.

"They don't like being bound or forced into anything," the Regent said. "Had you remained like that for much longer, it would have started to affect you physically, then mentally, until eventually your soul would give out leading to your inevitable death."

"And...speaking of my death?" Oliver coaxed not so subtly.

Kaiba huffed and turned to face Oliver directly as the barman came out to refill the glass of whiskey for the other man sitting at the bar. "It's something I've noticed in the past couple years," Kaiba admitted. "I honestly did not understand it at first but after finding out what I am..." He tilted his head thoughtfully. "When someone in my orientation gets close to death, I can feel it and will be drawn to them. When you die, your soul will come to me for guidance and I'll take it to the Afterlife where you can finally find rest."

"So that part of the mythos is true," Oliver stated in what was not quite a question. "Guiding the souls to the Afterlife."

"It is," Kaiba said. "The same happens for the others in the Court."

"Does it matter what I believe as far as religion?"

Kaiba shook his head. "You can believe what you want, but once you join, there's no getting out of it."

Oliver barked a laugh. "This really is a cult."

Kaiba's lips quirked upwards in a smirk. "I did say it was."

"What will mother say?" Oliver asked in a mocking voice.

"Nothing if she knows what's good for her," Kaiba warned. "She isn't protected by us per your request. From what I've learned of her, I would not offer her my protection anyway."

Oliver nodded, still chuckling from the cult comment. "Thanks," he said softly. "I needed that." Kaiba looked vaguely uncomfortable but nodded. Oliver looked closely and smirked. "Is that a blush?"

"You're drunk."

"Ah-ah-ah, DD, remember?" Oliver said, pointing to himself.

Kaiba ignored him and put in an order for hot tea which was, thankfully, delivered quickly. Oliver snagged the teapot and accompanying cup and saucer from under Kaiba's nose and walked off with them. Kaiba drummed his fingers on the bar to control his annoyance before following. He needed to be more drunk for this. He needed to sleep.

* * *

 

The man at the bar would never admit how badly he needed to hear what the other two men said. It was strange, but after what he had seen, heard, and experienced, not that strange. The soul part was bologna, but the mind part was both uncomfortable to listen to and something he needed to hear.

There were no platitudes, excuses, or apologizes, just the cold hard truth. That was what he needed to survive in this world. Truth and fact, just like the bow he itched to hold in his hand at that moment. He still wanted revenge for what was done to him, but hearing that made him feel...better. Even if it came from people who were probably members of some sort of freaky weird cult or roleplayers or gamers or whatever.

He set aside his whiskey and paid his bill, leaving a tip for the bartender before heading out. He needed to sleep off the small hangover he knew he would have before tomorrow's SHIELD meeting. He pulled out his phone to check his voicemail and noticed Stark had texted him. When and how did the drunk genius get his cell phone number?

Cautiously, he opened his text messages and read he most recent. He stopped moving and stared stupidly at the screen for a good minute before dialing the number for his most trusted friend and waited impatiently for her to pick up.

"Nat," he said the moment he heard her answer, the text message still filling his mind. "We need to talk, now."

_/ Sent: 12:23 A.M._

_Received: 12:23 A.M._

_Coulson's alive./_


	19. Higher Problems

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the Greeks get bad news, Zeus is pissed, the seeds of rebellion may be sown, and Arawn is bored, thus chaos.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** Sorry for the delay. I was actually ready to post thison Friday but… I got the cold… Colds are no fun. Before you start reading this, there are a couple things you should probably know.
> 
>  **1)** This chapter focuses mostly on the supernatural world of the Yu-Gi-Oh/Justice League home-world and the effects of our little misadventures are having on the pantheons. The only pantheons directly involved in this chapter or the Greek and the Welsh/Celtic.
> 
>  **2)** I will be utilizing parts of the Welsh/Celtic mythologies but not all. The parts I will be using will be a slight interpretation away from the ritual mythologies that we know. I'm going to be playing with the idea that mythologies are based on true stories that have been blown up to legendary proportions. The main parts of the Celtic Welsh mythology I will be using are the Holly King and his Unseelie fae court and the Oak King his Seelie fae court.
> 
> Just as a basic background, the Holly King rules from the Autumnal Equinox to the Spring Equinox and is at his peak of power on Midwinter. At the Spring Equinox, he is succeeded by the Oak King who rules until the Autumnal Equinox and is at his greatest strength on Midsummer. Traditionally, the succeeding king slays the reigning king but... It's not quite so in this. You'll see.
> 
>  **3)** The two new characters in this, Pwyll and Arawn, are real Welsh/Celtic mythological figures who are very interesting. I'm using their Tears to Tiara versions because I'm familiar with their appearances and characteristics. Just for reference. No, this won't be a crossover with Tears to Tiara, I'm just using those characters so I can avoid OCs. Nevertheless, I suggest y'all look up the show Tears to Tiara and watch it. It's fabulous.

"Still no sign of him?"

"No," Artemis huffed in frustration. "He continues to evade me."

"He hasn't made a move for almost a year," Dionysus said thoughtfully, running a hand through his long wine red hair. "Why now? What has changed?"

"Who knows?" Apollo said, watching his sister in worry. "It _is_ Ares we're talking about."

"True," Dionysus replied, raising his goblet in acknowledgment. "But even Ares is predictable to a degree. He goes where there is war and strife."

"Which would be the entire world," Aphrodite said disdainfully.

"Not necessarily," Athena said, considering Dionysus's words. "He prefers squabbles in which familial blood is spilt to general war. Feuds, beserkers, bloodbaths, systematic destruction and murder."

"He is also known for holding grudges," Poseidon said, his deep voice rumbling like the vast and ancient sea he haled from. The seaweed in his sopping wet hair shifted just slightly dripping seawater on Dionysus's tunic. The god of wine and sexual deviancy flinched, giving the elder sea god a withering glare which was duly ignored.

"I received word from the Seelie and Unseelie Courts," Hermes said, stepping forward. "They deny any involvement and have offered their services to help find him." He snorted. "It seems even they do not wish Ares running about unchecked. However," he added soberly, "they refused to offer aid in the search for the renegade Titans Helios and Selene."

"I see," Zeus said, narrowing his eyes as thunder rumbled nearby. "Did they say why not?"

Hermes shifted uncomfortably, not happy with being the bearer of bad news. "I was told they respect the freedom of the sun and moon and will do nothing to bind them with any type of chain, even if those chains be divine."

Lightning flashed in the darkening clouds as Zeus's eyes narrowed in controlled fury. Hera placed a calming hand on his arm and glared at him until he calmed the growing storm. Only then did she speak.

"With whom did you speak Hermes?" the Queen of the Gods asked.

"One called Pwyll, the current reigning Oak King," Hermes replied.

"Pwyll," Zeus murmured. "He is rumored to be friends with Arawn, is he not?"

"It is no rumor, my king," Athena answer in Hermes's stead. "Their friendship can be traced back many centuries if not more so. Pwyll has the backing of Arawn of Annwn in all that he does."

"And Arawn is the notorious leader of the Wild Hunt," Dionysus said, nodding to himself.

"And what of the Norse?" Zeus demanded.

"They do not seem interested in getting involved in the affairs of others," Hermes reported, sneering. "All the better, I say. They are drunk bastards."

"Yes," Dionysus said with a wistful smile. "And fantastic partiers," he added with a wink to the messenger god who rolled his eyes. "Their ale may be subpar but they make up for it with their enthusiasm."

"Yes, so you've said," Aphrodite drawl, rolling her eyes. "Hermes," she called, drawing the messenger's attention. "Did any of the other pantheons you visited offer to help us?"

Hermes hesitated before shaking his head. "Not in so many words," he admitted. He turned back to Zeus and said, "The Japanese pantheon would not listen to me. They would not even meet me. They sent a demon instead."

"A demon?" Zeus demanded aghast.

Hermes nodded. "They apparently hold a grudge against us for our part in the last fiasco involving Ares and one of theirs."

"We never involved the Japanese in our squabbles before," Apollo said.

"No, they're right," Hades interrupted, speaking up for the first time. His dark eyes bored in Apollo's glistening blue. "Ares attacked Seto Kaiba."

"But that was a year ago and Kaiba is an Egyptian god," Apollo countered.

"An Egyptian god reborn as a Japanese citizen," Hades said. "He may be an Egyptian god but he has the protection of the Japanese pantheon it would seem. It would be wise to assume all of their Court who were born Japanese have the same protection."

"And it's not just from a year ago," Hermes said gaining everyone's surprised attention. "It happened the other day too."

"So her words were true," Artemis murmured.

"You would keep things from me, Huntress?" Zeus said.

"Not deliberately," Artemis said quickly. "Diana of my Amazons and the Justice League told me she saw someone she believes to be Ares at the location of a gathering of Shadow Courtiers that ended in destruction and the loss of Set's brother."

"This could prove to be troublesome," Poseidon gurgled into the ensuing shocked silence. "The Japanese are known for their secrecy. They never wander far from their nation. If they are indeed taking this as a threat, we would have enemies of them. That would be an unwise move."

"I agree," Athena said, nodding.

"Before, you said, 'not is so many words,'" Zeus pressed, eyeing Hermes and waving the others silent. "What did you mean by that?"

The messenger god shrugged. "I got the feeling if Ares ever showed up in their territory or bothered anyone under their watch, they would burn him alive," he said. "But otherwise they will do nothing."

Zeus leaned back in his throne and breathed out slowly, controlling his temper. "So we are essentially on our own," he said.

"There is one last thing, my king," Hermes said hesitantly.

"What is it?"

"It's the sun, my king," the messenger said. "It... It's changing."

"Changing how?" Hera demanded.

Hermes shook his head as he struggled to find the right words. "I cannot say exactly, just that it is changed. It no longer feels...as alive as it used to."

"Could this mean Helios has died?" Dionysus gasped.

"No," Hades said quickly. "He has not come to my realm. I would know of one of his power passed on."

"So not dead but..." Artemis shifted her eyes to her twin.

Apollo shook his head. "I have no answer, I'm afraid."

"We need Selene," Zeus said. "If she is taken into custody, Helios will come willingly."

"Or the other way around," Aphrodite murmured, nodding in agreement.

Athena aimed a glare at Zeus. "I stand by my words before that I do not believe the treatment of the Titans to be fair. It is unwise to make rash decisions before first thinking things through. That is what put us in the position we are in now."

Zeus turned his storm gray eyes on his daughter in challenge. "Are you defying me Athena?" Zeus asked suspiciously.

"I am the goddess of wisdom, organized war, and tacticians," Athena replied with a raised eyebrow. "I never do or say anything without first thinking things through. I have learned from past mistakes that such things are never good. I would think you would have learn such lessons yourself from the number of times you waved your cock around and infuriated Hera."

"You dare-!"

"Be still husband!" Hera snapped furiously. "She speaks true. Just because you dislike it does not negate their truth. Unless you want another... _incident_ ," she hissed suggestively, "I suggest you sit down and behave."

Zeus shook with rage, glaring at Hera. "I will not be ordered by a woman."

"You think that the location of one's genitals denotes power, Zeus?" Athena demanded with a smirk. "Then I think you'll find the modern world an interesting place."

"Are you challenging my authority?" Zeus growled, thunder rumbling close by.

"I am challenging your thoughts," she said. "They are outdated for this modern world. You need to learn to adapt to the changing times."

"Or what?"

Athena leveled a glare ate the King of the Gods with one of her own. "Then you will Fade like the rest."

Silence reigned followed by a thin whistle. Eyes flickered to Dionysus who sipped his wine with an entertained grin on his face. "It looks like things just got interesting," he said.

* * *

 

"Come away from the window," he said.

She sighed as arms encircled her from behind, protective and loving. He planted a kiss on the juncture where her neck met her shoulder, sweeping aside her dyed blonde hair as he did so. She nuzzled him but refused to leave her spot by the window.

Something was wrong, had been wrong for at least a day now; something she could not explain. She could still feel the sun far above but it was different, not wrong just different. It felt more distant than it usually did. She knew in her heart Helios was still alive but she could not feel him in this world. It disturbed her.

She brushed the slight swell of her belly, wincing. She did not regret her choice herself to become pregnant. She could not regret it. But she fear what would happen if she and her fledgling family were discovered. She knew from her sister Eos's tragic fate that the end would be anything but quick and merciful.

A soft knock startled her from her thoughts and she turned to the door warily. Endymion positioned himself on the window seat in such a way as to partially block her from view. She smiled at the gesture and called, "Who is it?"

"It is I, Pwyll Pen Annwn," the voice called through the solid, oaken door. "May I enter?"

"Of course," Selene quickly replied. "This is your home, not mine," she said to the person who entered.

The man had a young appearance as did many in pantheons, but it was his eyes which betrayed his age. He was old and wise but still had a heart of gold and unfathomable honor and integrity. The deep indigo irises reflected many memories, good and bad, but held no grudges against them. His smile was soft and gentle as was his short, sandy brown hair under a crown of oaken bows twined around his head.

"I see you are doing well," he said, his voice carrying an accent unique to his people. It sounded like the rugged hills and weather of the region without the hard edges of dreariness.

"We are," Endymion said, standing with a smile to shake the newcomer's hand firmly. "Thank you for offering us sanctuary."

"Think nothing of it," Pwyll said, eyes hard and determined. "When Arawn told me of your need, I could not stand idly by." He removed his hand and glanced over Endymion's shoulder to the Titaness. "Is there anything I can get you? My wife Rhiannon has been worrying over your health these past few days."

Selene shook her head. "I am well," she replied. "However, I would not turn down the opportunity to speak with your wife later today."

"I'm sure she would enjoy that immensely," Pwyll said with a smile. The smile faded and the light in his eyes dimmed. "I am afraid I bring ill news. The messenger of your pantheon came to visit us this day. He knows not your whereabouts, of that I am certain," he said quickly, hoping to quell the Titan's fears. "He merely requested the help of myself and my people in the search of both you and your brother as well as one of their own who has also gone missing." He lifted an eyebrow ironically and said, "They certainly seem to excel at misplacing people."

Selene managed a smile. "They do at that," she said, placing a hand over her belly.

"What was your answer?" Endymion demanded. Pwyll looked at him askance and the human turned immortal clarified, "To their request to find my wife and her brother?"

Pwyll's eyes grew large. "I swore on my honor I would offer you sanctuary and protect you as one of my own Court," he said incredulously. "Do you so quickly doubt such an oath?"

"Oaths do not mean as much to the Greek as they do to you," Endymion said.

Pwyll sobered and nodded slowly. "So I am learning," he murmured. "Forgive my outburst. But you must know any and all oaths I make, I will uphold to the best of my ability on my honor and position as Oak King."

"And for that we are grateful," Selene said, standing. "You said one of the Olympians was missing. Did Hermes say who it was?"

Pwyll nodded. "The one called Ares, you god of war," he said seriously. Selene's eyes widened and Pwyll sighed. "Neither the Unseelie nor my own Seelie wish for his interference. The blood spilt between clans and family is cruel, especially so close to when I must step down from my post and give way to Arawn."

"And Arawn," Endymion asked, "he will uphold your oath?"

Pwyll nodded. "He is my oldest and dearest friend still drawing breath. We back each other however and whenever we can. As the Holly King, he will not only uphold my oath but have the power necessary to enforce it as well." His eyes glittered briefly with curiosity. "I do wonder, however, what your Ares would be doing leaving his pantheon so abruptly."

"I wonder that myself," Selene muttered, staring out the window once more to where the sun still shone in the sky. "He is not fond of my brother and I, my brother more so because he was more outspoken than myself. However, Ares never had much of a reason to seek us out until Zeus ordered our capture."

"You think he is truly acting on his own then?" Pwyll asked.

"At the moment, yes," Selene said, taking her husband's hand. "The only person I know of who has actively given Ares reason to hate him in recent years in Set."

"Of the new Egyptian pantheon," Pwyll said nodding. "Yes, I have heard of him and his kin. Their way of order is very intriguing to us. Arawn and I would not be averse to forming an alliance with his Court."

"Indeed?" Selene asked.

Pwyll nodded. "Their structure of Dark and Light with neither being good nor evil but a fascinating balance of both is a subject of great interest to the Seelie and Unseelie Courts."

"I can see why," Endymion said. "But, from what I understand, Set is the god of the balancing aspect. Curious indeed since he is also attributed to chaos."

"Just so," Pwyll replied. "But then, chaos is, in its own way, a balancing act. Too little is order, too much is destruction. The world we live in naturally has order as well as chaos. To accept one and shun the other is folly. Set's position as a part of the balance is what my people find so intriguing. A balancing power that keeps both sides in check while remaining uninfluenced. Arawn hopes to one day challenge their Court."

"In battle?" Edymion gasped.

"No, no," Pwyll said chuckling. "Just a friendly duel. Arawn loves a good challenge." He sighed fondly. "As for me, I feel the Pharaoh and the King would be better company."

"You know quite a bit about them," Endymion said.

"Not really, actually," Pwyll admitted. "It was the fault of one who lived in Britain that our attention was first drawn to them. From there, our attention became curiosity and grew from there." He shrugged. "They keep to themselves and we respect that. But should they choose to create an alliance, we are willing to negotiate."

He grew serious once more. "That brings to mind another thing," Pwyll said calmly. "I am unsure of how much you are aware of in the supernatural world, but word has reached my ears of an attack on the Shadow Court. I was unable to get much information from Hermes directly, but I was able to put his information and my own together and can tell with almost absolute certainty that Ares was involved."

"If you mean from a year ago," Selene began, "then yes, we ar-"

"No, this is from but a day ago if I understand correctly."

"A day?! But how-"

Pwyll twitched and Selene fell silent when he gave a put upon sigh. "My sincerest apologies. If you will excuse me, I am afraid my duties call me. I wish you good rest, my lady, consort."

"And to you," Selene and Endymion replied together.

"I'm glad they found us when they did," Endymion said after a minute. "That storm was getting much too close for comfort." Selene nodded silently. "I wonder what the Japanese think of all this?"

"Hm?" Selene gazed up at her consort in confusion.

"This," Endymion waved his hand in an attempt to demonstrate, "everything. The disfunction of the Olympians, the new Egyptian pantheon, many of whom are of Japanese decent I understand, and now this."

"The Japanese are old and wary of outsiders," Selene said slowly. "But they are known to be protective of their nation and its inhabitants."

"So where were they when all this began?" Endymion asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Why haven't they risen in their own's protection when Ares attacked the Court the first time?" Endymion asked.

"Because he attacked the Court, not just Set," Selene replied. "It was an attack on the pantheon not a single person."

"But what if it was?" Dark blue eyes met Selene's silver-gray framed by dyed blonde hair and took her hands in his. "What if he was attacking Set the individual and not the pantheon as a whole?"

"Why would he do that?" Selene asked in confusion.

"There could be any number of reasons," Endymion said, "that is not the point. The point is that Ares attacked Set alone even though we know many of the other Courtiers were present. More importantly," he raised a finger to emphasize his point, "he possessed Set to do it. That is a violation of inter-pantheon relations as well as a violation of the human autonomy."

"It is, but Ares was duly punished," Selene said.

"Was he?" Endymion countered. "True, he was returned to Zeus unconscious but was that punishment or mercy? The Court dealt with him as a pantheon for his interference with Set, but did Set ever deal with Ares for his interference with his personal autonomy?"

Selene's eyes grew hard and sharp. "What are you getting at?" she demanded quietly.

Endymion practically vibrated with excitement. "Why don't we inform the Japanese pantheon of Ares's possession of Set."

Selene sighed. "It is likely they already know."

"And what about your brother?"

"What about him?" Selene asked warily.

"You said he was gone somehow, that this was affecting the sun," he said. "And now we find he may have been involved with this latest incident also involving Set. I doubt that is a coincidence."

Selene shook her head. "I doubt they would listen to us," she said. "Even if I pulled my weight, it would be difficult."

"What if you asked to speak to their moon deity Tsukuyomi as an equal?" he pressed. "Surely they will respect your age enough to at least parlay on some level."

"You're suggesting I plant seeds that could start a rebellion," Selene said shrewdly.

"A rebellion that has already inadvertently started," Endymion said. "From the moment the new Egyptian pantheon appeared, everything we knew and considered unchanging has changed. And I doubt it will stop now to suit us." He pressed his forehead to his wife's rested a hand gently on her stomach. "Please," he said softly. "I would rather see this through on the hope that we may have a place to be safe and call home in the future than spend the rest of eternity hiding like refugees."

Selene's eyes softened and she kissed her husband's nose. "I will consider it."

"That's all I ask," Endymion said.

* * *

 

"Your guests certainly are fascinating," Arawn said, smirking at the predictable indignant squawk and glare from his surprised companion.

"Arawn!" Pwyll hollared, glaring at the remorseless snowy haired Holly King furiously. "What have I told you abo-"

"Nothing I choose to remember," the Holly King said glibly, crimson eyes like the red berries on his holly sprig coronet sparkled merrily. "And anyway, you should be pleased I enjoy eavesdropping. I learn lots of interesting things that way."

"It is a dishonorable practice," Pwyll said, glaring half-heartedly at his counterpart.

Arawn predictably cackled, the sound soothing Pwyll's ruffled feathers. It was a sound he missed during the height of his yearly reign when Arawn had been in deep slumber. He rejoiced to hear it again, even if it could very well be the last thing he heard before he fell into slumber on the Autumnal Equinox.

"Apparently," Arawn began, breaking into the Oak King's thoughts, "your new friends are considering tattling on their Olympian friends to the Japanese."

"For what purpose?" Pwyll asked in confusion.

"Justice, rebellion, intrigue, boredom, it could be any number of things," Arawn said with a sly wink. "Although I'd be willing to bet our last supper together that it's leaning more towards the rebellion side."

"Rebellion?" Pwyll asked. "Against whom?"

"Perhaps the idiot whose ass currently squelches and farts on the throne of Olympus," Arawn said.

Pwyll looked faintly green. "Your style of language has not changed," he said in mixed fondness and horror. "Although I'm not sure how I feel about the new words and phrases."

"Human language grows with its people," Arawn said. "It's fun. And it gives me a leg up when tossing insults at people I dislike."

Pwyll shook his head wearily, hiding a fond smile on his face. "How you have managed to retain the Holly King crown for as long as you have amazes me, old friend," he said.

"I think my people enjoy my unpredictable nature," the Keeper of the Hounds of Annwn said. "It keeps them on their toes. Besides, I give them no end of things to do so they're never bored. A bored Unseelie," he said, tapping Pwyll's nose patronizingly, "is a dangerous Unseelie."

"I'll drink to that," Pwyll said, nodding enthusiastically. He scooped up his wine, held it up, and said, "To Arawn, may his boredom cease," then drained the cup enjoying his companion's snort.

"Well, I guess I won't have to get you drunk then to suggest this since you've already done an outstanding job of that on your own," Arawn teased. Pwyll rolled his eyes as the Unseelie king continued. "Your power is waning and mine is growing as is tradition but I suggest we deal with this while we're both awake and sharing power."

"Deal with what exactly?" Pwyll asked warily.

"Helping instigate and enjoying the fallout of chaos," Arawn said, his teeth gleaming. "It's been a while since something this interesting happened."

"Chaos isn't always a good thing, Arawn," Pwyll warned.

"No, but change is constant," the Holly King replied seriously. "You and I are perfect examples of this concept. And as you said and even drank to, I am bored. I need something to do. Chaos is perfect. Besides, I'm sure my Hounds would enjoy a good romp."

"I'm sure they would," Pwyll agreed. He reached out and caught his friend's hand drawing Arawn's abrupt attention.

"Pwyll," Arawn said hesitantly. "What is it? What's wrong?"

The Oak King bowed his head, assembling the words he needed to convey before lifting his eyes to Arawn's crimson and speaking clearly. "I know not what will happen, nor do I have the gift of foresight," he began. "But I ask you to be on your guard." His indigo eyes gleamed. "As you say, my power is fading as the Equinox draws close. Nothing can befall you 'ere you have the chance to send me to my rest and take up the Throne of the Wheel. Promise me you will take care."

Arawn's eyes softened and he smiled, grasping Pwyll's wrist with his free hand. "I swear on my true name, I will take care and return to see you put to rest." His lips quirked to something more cheeky. "Besides, with the god of war running amok and the gods of chaos, birth, and death, running about as well, I think I'll be having too much fun to get hurt, hm?"

"Arawn, you absolute imbecile!" Pwyll cried, drowned out by the Holly King's belly laugh.


	20. Not so Sweet Surprises

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the sun throws a hissy fit, the Avengers attempt to regroup, and ice cream and candy aren't what they're supposed to be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** Sorry for the delay. I got sick, then had midterms, and now SPRING BREAK! I'm working over the break so it's not much of a break but yeah... Enjoy.
> 
>  **IMPORTANT:** The ice cream spell is legit from the original comic books. I couldn't make that up if I tried.

"We seem to be entering an early onset of sunspot activity this year according to NASA," the female reporter said seriously into the television camera. "Sunspot cycles usually last about twelve years. At its peak, sunspots are often prominent across the sun's surface resulting in a higher level of solar flare activity and possible coronal mass ejections. These CMEs are responsible for the aurora borealis, or the northern lights, as well as other less than savory results such as loss of electrical power and disruptions in radio and transmission signals across the globe. As this activity increases..."

"What do you think?" Batman asked eyes still focused on the multiple televisions in the Watchtower common room.

"I think this could be more serious than we realized," Superman replied, more subdued than usual.

"The scientific world is in a flurry, but the general populace is clueless," Hawkgirl said, crossing her arms.

"Not surprising," Flash said, staring at the television and reading the subtitles as quickly as he could. "Most people don't care about the sun unless it pertains to the weather."

"That is foolish," J'onn said.

"I agree," Flash said, turning to his friend. "But there's not much I can do to change that. Most people see it as 'if it doesn't involve me, it's not important.'"

"But it _does_ involve them and it _is_ important," Hawkgirl countered.

"You know that and I know that, but they don't," Flash said, turning to the Thanagaran.

Batman nodded soberly. "For them, the sun is too far away to do any damage or affect them unless it's in the form of a tan or skin cancer," he said. "The last significant CME event to directly strike the earth and cause widespread damage was in the 1800s and no one from that time is still alive."

Hawkgirl hummed. "I see what you mean," she murmured. She heaved a sigh and fluffed her wings. "What do we do?"

"At the moment there's nothing we _can_ do except keep watch," Batman said.

"And what about the Shadow Court?" Flash said turning away from the television completely. "The Regent's still MIA with Green Arrow and Green Lantern and the King's been shot last I heard. Other Arrow's been holding down the fort in Starling City pretty well, but he can't keep it up forever."

"Other Arrow?" Superman asked in confusion.

"He means John Diggle," J'onn said patiently. "Arrow's right hand man."

"Ah."

J'onn bowed his head guiltily. "It was my fault Green Lantern was forced to accompany them," he said. "It should not have happened."

"But it did," Diana said. "And accident or not, Lantern can handle himself. He's a member of this League for a reason."

"I agree," Hawkgirl said. "Besides, there needs to be a sane adult in that crowd of crazy."

Flash coughed a laugh. "Yes, he is kinda like a dad now that I think about it." He sobered. "But that still leaves the King's situation and let's not forget that whole 'tomb thing,'" he said with air quotes.

"Yes, what is that?" Superman asked.

"From what I understand," Diana began, "a group of archaeologists are attempting to unearth Set's grave which is inadvertently having adverse affects on the Regent."

"How so?"

"According to Arrow when I was able to ask him," she said, "sudden fits of violent shuddering and disorientation."

"That sounds similar to a seizure to me," Batman said astutely.

"It could be that," Diana admitted.

"We should try to take into account the fact Kaiba's a reincarnation," Flash said. "What if his old body is still buried in his tomb? Then that means they would essentially be of the same person. Wouldn't that be, I don't know, confusing on some level?"

"There already are two of them," Superman said, his brow furrowed thoughtfully.

"Two souls, yes," Flash said. "But technically, they're two parts of the same soul. But I mean two separate bodies of the same person."

"You mean like a twin?" Hawkgirl asked.

"No," Flash said, shaking his head in exasperation. "Literally two of the same person existing at once."

"Yes, that could cause problems," Batman said, rubbing his chin as he puzzled through the information they had. "If you went back in time and met yourself, you'd essentially be causing a paradox."

"But no one's traveled through time," Hawkgirl said hesitantly.

"No, Set did," Batman said in realization.

"What?" Superman gasped. "How?"

"Not in the way you're thinking," Batman said quickly. "But his body did."

"You mean by being buried," Diana said.

Batman nodded. "Two bodies of the same person existing at one time. That could theoretically cause a paradox."

"Playing Devil's advocate here: Set's body has supposedly been buried for over 5,000 years and Kaiba's existed for twenty," Flash said. "Why now? What's different?"

"Someone's breaking in," Hawkgirl murmured. She lifted her head and stared at her companions with hard emerald eyes. "Someone's trying to get into the tomb. I think we can safely say, Set had no idea he would be reincarnated. Even if he did know, there isn't much his people would do about the body. The Egyptians saw the body as holy and would not dare destroy it because to them doing so meant preventing the soul from moving on to the Afterlife."

"How do you know that?" Flash asked. Hawkgirl lifted an eyebrow and the speedster coughed awkwardly. "Oh, right."

"If it's alright with you, I'd like to visit Yugi," Hawkgirl said.

"You don't need our permission for that," Superman said looking at his comrade at arms strangely.

Hawkgirl huffed. "It was an offer for anyone else to join me," she said. She glanced at Diana and J'onn with raised brows.

Diana nodded. "We'll go," she said crossing her arms. "I haven't received a response from my gods but I think that in and of itself is an answer; one I think the Court should be aware of."

"I agree," Hawkgirl said.

"I too would like to see the King again," J'onn said calmly. "I have waited long enough before informing them of my absence from their Regent's side."

"They may be aware of that already," Diana said. J'onn nodded slowly but his eyes held reservations. He opened his mouth to speak again but stopped when the Amazon placed a hand on his shoulder and smiled gently. "If you wanted to visit them, it's not a problem. Besides, we already know Kaiba likes you."

"Really?" Superman asked in surprise. "He's got an odd way of showing it."

"He's got an odd way of doing a lot of things," Batman said with a shrug.

"It would probably be best if we went in our civilian covers to help minimize the media's involvement," Diana said.

"That could be a bit difficult for me," Hawkgirl said.

"You forget I can get us inside without a problem," J'onn said.

The Thanagaran's eyebrows lifted and a small smile tugged at her lips. "Then I'm ready when you are," she said.

* * *

 

"You had better not be pulling my leg, Stark," Barton said, walking into the fellow Avenger's penthouse living room from the elevator in Star Tower.

Tony spared a glance at the irate archer for a split second before pulling out a remote, aiming it at the large screen television on the wall by the elevator door and hit a button on it. Immediately, the screen came to life showing a collection of images spread out across the monitor. He promptly dropped the now pointless remote on the cushions startling Steve Rogers who was already sitting on the semi circular embedded bench facing the screen. Sam Wilson was rubbing his eyes groggily and nursing a cup of fresh, steaming hot coffee courtesy of Bruce Banner. The scientist himself was currently strolling out from behind the wet bar by the windowed wall facing the early morning New York cityscape with two more cups of coffee which he handed to the newly arrived Clint and Natasha.

"Thanks," the archer said.

"Don't mention it," Bruce said calmly with a tired smile.

"What are we looking at?" Natasha asked, taking her coffee with a quick smile as she moved to stand by the couch facing the television.

"It's Coulson's file," Sam said, leaning forward to rest his forearms on his knees. "He's alive." He shook his head. "I may not have known him like you all did, but I'm aware of what he did on the Helicarrier during the Chitauri invasion."

"He died," Steve said, crossing his arms seriously. "I saw the cards. They had blood on them."

"Cards?"

Steve shifted uncomfortably with a slight blush on his face. "He collected vintage Captain America cards," he said softly.

Sam's eyes softened and he patted his friend's back comfortingly. "I take it he was important," he said.

"To all of us in one way or another," Bruce said, taking a seat next to Falcon with his own coffee in his hand.

"Which begs the question, why in hell SHIELD pretended he was dead," Stark asked, pulling up the screenshot of Coulson's file with the words " **STATUS: ACTIVE** " in bold, capital letters.

"Unless he did die," Sam said, "and they didn't manage to resuscitate him until later. It's happened before. I remember reading about this Irish guy who clinically died and no one, not even the doctors realized he was still alive until his hand twitched as they were putting him into refrigeration."

"That's...disconcerting," Stark said.

"Or, more realistically," Natasha said, "they wanted to protect him and send him into hiding. Killing a person is a great way to do that."

"Except he really was stabbed," Clint said darkly. "I knew the moment it happened. Loki didn't exactly keep it a secret."

"But it did act as a catalyst to the official formation of the Avengers team," Steve said, beginning to understand. "We wouldn't have worked so well together if we hadn't been acting on our united desire for revenge."

"How did you find out about this?" Steve asked.

"Some guy calling himself the Regent hacked the SHIELD systems," Tony said, tossing Coulson's profile picture aside to pull up another image. "He was quick and had a computer program working with him that was efficient."

"Is that a compliment?" Natasha asked wryly.

Tony ignored her and enlarged the new image with his fingers on the touchscreen. The image was a bit grainy, obviously from a low resolution webcam and showed a young man with Asian features, short brown hair, and clear blue eyes typing away at a keyboard.

"Holy shit," Clint gasped, his coffee forgotten.

"Care to share with the class Katniss?" Tony said.

"Don't call me that," Clint muttered as he walked closer to the screen to get a better look at the grainy screenshot. "I know this guy," he said. "I saw him a couple hours ago in the Park Grill and Bar."

"By the Planetarium?" Sam asked.

"Yeah," Clint said.

"Tonight?" Tony asked.

"He was with someone else," Clint said, nodding to Tony's question. "I got the feeling he was with the only other group in the place but I didn't get a good look at them. They were in a booth in the back. But this guy," he pointed to the screen, "and another guy came up to the bar to get tea of all things."

"So he's a tea drinker," Tony said. "Never trust a tea drinker. Coffee people are predictable."

"So are alcoholics," Natasha snarked.

Tony raised his glass to her in a mock toast. "JARVIS, do a search for this guy within New York City," he said.

"On it, sir," the polite, male voice said over the integrated speaker in the room.

"So," Tony said suddenly and loudly, turning to face his guests. "We've got a guy who drinks tea, travels with a group, and can somehow get from one coast to the other in a matter of couple hours. Last I checked, airplanes take longer to travel that distance than this guy does." He grimaced. "We need to call him something. 'This guy' is too," he waved his hand still holding his glass of golden alcohol searching for the right word, "generic."

"Well, he did call himself the Regent," Sam offered helpfully. "Why not just call him that?"

"Because, Regent?" Tony said. "Seriously? Who would choose that title? I mean, why not King, or Lord of the Computer, or Supergenius, or-"

"Tony Stark?" Bruce said softly over the rim of his coffee cup and Sam snickered, quickly covering his mouth.

"I take that as a compliment," the technological genius said, taking the friendly jab in stride.

"Why do you say he can travel that distance in a couple hours?" Steve asked.

"Because this image," Tony said, pointing to the screen with the hand holding his glass, "was taken from a webcam in an Arizona public library less than ten hours ago and SHIELD's been watching for anyone who matches this photograph in all US airports. Nothing."

"I'm impressed you were able to get this," Natasha said, lifting an eyebrow.

Tony waved her concern aside. "Easy. I helped keep him at bay. Besides, the majority of SHIELD agents were a bit too distracted by the news Coulson was alive to stop me."

"How did you find out?"

"Our friend here," Tony said, "finally replied to my to chat."

"You opened a chat with a hacker?" Sam asked surprised.

"Why am I not surprised?" Bruce said.

"This," Tony pulled up and enlarged a third image next to the hacker's image, "was his chat reply."

The image was almost identical to the first except the hacker was in the process of leaving and a chat window was open with several lines of text. Most prominent was the hacker's reply:

_/Unless he somehow died within the last couple hours since I spoke to him in face to face, he's very much alive./_

"So not only is Coulson alive," Bruce said, "but he's been in contact with our hacker."

"It would make sense if Coulson was in the general vicinity of Arizona so I did a bit of digging and," Tony began, taking a sip of his drink, "JARVIS, what do you got for me?"

"Coulson's current approximate location is thirty five miles outside Salt Lake City, Utah," the computerized butler replied.

"How did you... You know what," Sam said, "I don't want to know."

"Good choice," Tony said. "Any luck on our hacker Regent friend?" he asked JARVIS.

"He is currently leaving the Park Grill and Bar on Columbus Avenue at 81st Street," JARVIS replied.

"Where's he going?"

"He is headed towards Central Park."

"Anyone up for a field trip?" Tony asked the group.

"Regrettably sir, I'm afraid that might not be an option," JARVIS said.

"Why not? Rush hour traffic is hell, yeah, but it's not that bad."

"It would appear all the vehicles within much of Manhattan have been turned into ice cream," the A.I. replied smartly.

"Say what?"

"All the vehicles in much of Manhattan have been turned into ice cream, sir," the A.I. replied in the same unflappable voice.

Six befuddled faces stared at the ceiling processing the confounding information before Steve sighed. "Loki," he said simply.

* * *

 

"Looks like people are beginning to show up," Oliver said, glancing over his shoulder as another person came into the restaurant jingling the bell over the door.

"Well," Mai said, glancing at the faint sunlight filtering through the windows above the booth they were still occupying, "it should be about seven o'clock in the morning here by now."

Oliver hummed thoughtfully. "What day is it? Do we know?"

Mai shrugged. She glanced to the side where her Regent was currently using the table as a makeshift pillow to catch some sleep. Oliver had just woken from his nap to find Mai and Shaadi awake and speaking quietly to one another. The Shadow users had taken their naps first before waking up around four to switch with Oliver and John. They silently agreed to let Kaiba continue to sleep through both shifts undisturbed. The wait staff had stopped by every now and then to refill their drinks and deliver the occasional ordered snack.

"Don't know," the Sorceress said softly, yawning. "But it certainly feels like a Monday."

Oliver snorted. "You mean a Tuesday," he said. She gave him an odd look and he explained. "Yesterday was crazy enough to be Monday. Today is Tuesday."

Mai nodded with a wry grin and lifted her freshly ordered coffee in acknowledgement.

"Agreed," Shaadi said softly with a nod.

"The fuck?"

The three awake guests blinked and Mai and Oliver leaned around the booth to where the bartender was staring at something outside with a dumbfounded expression which quickly became horror.

"My bike!" the employee exclaimed before bolting out the door to a chorus of similar cries of surprise, horror, and confused amusement.

Mai got up and looked out the window which was a little above street level and gasped prompting Oliver to do the same. They both stared at the scene before them in shock. Then Mai started laughing hysterically. Shaadi furrowed his brow in confusion before standing to also look out the window. Oliver could not decide whether to laugh or be horrified by what was happening outside. He settling with chuckling when he noticed Shaadi's outright stunned expression.

John Stewart woke up at the sudden laughter as did Kaiba. Both blinked blearily up at their companions before standing at Oliver's encouragement. Their eyes grew large and John's jaw dropped. Kaiba braced himself on the back of the booth seat cushion and leaned forward, watching the chaos unfold just beyond the glass.

Cars, scooters, and motorcycles that moments before had been cruising down the street were now blobs of multi-colored, and most likely multi-flavored ice cream skidding to a halt in the roadways and melting. Bicycles, including the unfortunate employee's, had become candy canes. Skateboards had become pretzels and strollers had become Twizzlers. People were running back and forth screaming, talking rapidly, hurrying to help one another, or standing by and laughing. It was clearly bad but it was also so completely unexpected that it was hilarious.

"What by Ra's holy fire is going on here?" Shaadi whispered.

"I have absolutely no idea," Oliver said.

"But it's hysterical," Mai said, bursting into belly laughs.

"Not really," John said, pointing to something a ways off. "Look."

The Sorceress lifted her eyes and followed John's arm to a point in the middle of the intersection and her laughter faded away. "Oh my god," she murmured.

Several blobs of ice cream that had clearly once been cars and taxis had continued moving due to their inertia before slowing down. But the people inside the vehicles had inertia too and when the cars suddenly slowed down and turned into ice cream, the seat belts also turned into the frozen treats. The now edible and semi-soft treat was nowhere near as strong and durable as the seat belts they had been which resulted in some people flying through the thin layer of ice cream that had been a windshield out onto the blobs of ice cream in front of them as well or, more commonly, the asphalt streets or concrete sidewalks.

"John," Oliver said.

"Got it," the Green Lantern said, pushing past his friend to get out of the booth and run out if the restaurant.

The group quickly followed behind the superhero. Oliver paused to pull his hooded Arrow jacket out of his duffel bag, pull it on, slip on his new eye mask, as well as strap on his quiver and string his bow. He nodded to his Regent before bolting out the door. Frustrated, Kaiba groused as he dug through his wallet for a $100 bill to leave on the table hoping it would be enough to cover everything. He would collect on the debt later. For now, the Regent mentally went through his Deck trying to think of any Monster, Spell, or Trap which could conceivably mitigate the situation.

He stepped out of the restaurant and saw Green Lantern using his ring to catch and protect people with solid green light. Oliver held an arrow knocked in his bow but was unwilling to lift it and fire simply because he had no real target in mind. Mai was actively shuffling through her Deck for any usable cards and Shaadi was staring directly ahead with glazed eyes.

"Shaadi," Kaiba said, stepping up next to his Advisor. "What do you see?"

Arrow glanced at his Regent curiously and listened to Shaadi's reply with interest.

"It would seem," the Advisor began, "a spell has been cast over the area."

"How far and how powerful?" Kaiba asked.

"I cannot say for certain how far," Shaadi replied. "The spell is of a magic I am unfamiliar with. It is clouding my senses."

"So it's powerful," Kaiba mumbled. "Can you find the source of it?"

"I..." Shaadi trailed off as he reached out with his Shadows as well as something else. Arrow could not quite tell what that other sense was but he could faintly feel it if he focused hard enough. "I believe," Shaadi said slowly, "the source is to the south and east of here."

"Can you lead us?" Arrow asked.

"Possibly," Shaadi said. "But only if the source remains stationary."

"Then let's hope it does," Arrow said, getting ready to catch Lantern's attention when a hand snagged his arm.

"Wait!"

The vigilante paused to look back at the Advisor in confusion. "Something else is coming, another power source. It is similar to the first but different."

"Different how?" Kaiba demanded.

"It feels less animate," Shaadi said.

"Animate?" Mai asked. "You mean alive?"

"I cannot say," the Egyptian said, clearly straining to understand what he was sensing.

"Anything else we should be aware of?"

Shaadi hesitated a couple moments before shaking his head. "No, nothing I can tell."

"In that case," Kaiba said, "Arrow, use you _Spell Shattering Arrow_. Mai-"

"Got it," she said, pulling out the Spell card. " _Harpie's Feather Duster_!"

Wind blasted the place, yanking umbrellas out of their places on outdoor patio seating, blowing newspapers and magazine across the ground, and pulling women's hair. A moment later, it was still and everything was back to the way it should have been.

"Hey!" John hollered, running back to the group. "Whatever you did, it worked."

"Talk later, find the source now," Arrow said.

"Wait!" Kaiba snapped. "This is not our world. Do what you can but do not put yourselves deliberately in harm's way. Understood?"

"With all due respect," John said, "I'm a marine. These are Americans. They may not be my Americans, but they are Americans. More importantly, they're people and they need help. I'm not going to stand by and do nothing."

"I'm not telling you to," Kaiba said calmly. "I'm telling you to live so you can go home. Die another day, not today."

"I don't plan on dying," John said firmly.

"Good," Kaiba said. "See to it it stays that way. Shaadi!"

"Come," the Advisor calling, hurrying down a street towards Lower Manhattan and the Midtown area.

However, no sooner had they rounded a corner than Shaadi turned and pushed them back, slamming his body into Green Lantern's. Half a second later, something nearby exploded and almost a dozen robot dogs darted through the air into the previously be-spelled block.

"What the hell are those?" Green Lantern asked.

"More importantly, do I want to know?" Arrow said rhetorically. He lifted his bow with an arrow knocked on the string and aimed at one of the dogs firing beams from its eyes. He was briefly reminded of K-9 from the classic Doctor Who series before he drew his Shadows to him, letting them weave around his arrow shaft, and fired. The Shadow empowered arrow flew through the air and blasted cleanly one robot before striking a second which had flown behind.

He had succeeded in bringing down two robots, but unfortunately, this act drew the attention of the others. "Incoming!" the vigilante cried.

Green Lantern acted the fastest. He raised his fist and a wall of solid green light materialized and took the blasts. "Gotcha covered," he called. "Go!"

"Well," Mai said as she ran behind Kaiba, "flying robot dogs that fire lasers from their eyes. That's a new one."

"They are part of the other magic source," Shaadi called. "There is magic in them as well as technology."

"Magic?" Arrow gasped.

"Is there any sentience in them?" Kaiba asked, continuing to run.

"Only a speck, but it is not unique to them," Shaadi replied. "It is an extension of the master."

"So puppets," Mai said.

"If they're magic," Arrow said, "then maybe this will give them something to thing twice about." He skidded to a stop and whirled around, drawing the empty bow all the way back to his ear before muttering, " _Spell Shattering Arrow_."

A golden arrow appeared knocked in his string, the gleaming feathers brushing his ear as he aimed and released. The bolt flew through the air and struck a robot causing it to spark and burst apart, the smoldering pieces falling to the ground.

"Nice," Lantern called. He pushed the solid green light wall forward, knocking the robots back, before forming a fist and smashing several forcefully to the ground.

"Nice yourself," Arrow said.

"Not so nice up ahead," Mai said drawing the two Justice League members' attention.

The road they had been running down was now flooding with policemen and emergency personnel as well as more robot dogs. Arrow groaned. "Great, interference."

"Shaadi," Kaiba said. "You said they don't have any sentience of their own."

"That is correct," Shaadi replied.

"In that case," he lifted his hand and murmured in hieratic, " _Enemy Controller_." Instantly, the robot dogs halted in their advance, waiting for a command from their temporary controller. "Find the one who ordered you to attack this place and attack them."

All of the robotic canines barked mechanically before wheeling around and returning the way they came. Arrow glanced uncertainly at his Regent before noticing a taxi slowly becoming ice cream and fired another _Spell Shattering Arrow_ at it instantly returning it to its true form.

"I suggest we deal with this problem ASAP," he said. "I can't keep firing Spells like this forever."

"I thought we wanted to stay under the radar," Mai added morosely.

"We do," Kaiba confirmed. "Split up," he commanded. "Mai go with Green Lantern. You two help mitigate this. Lantern, your power's useful at holding those things back. Mai, try to keep this place free of the...ice cream spell as best you can."

"A safe zone, you mean," she said nodding. "I can do that."

"Shaadi, take us to the source or sources," Kaiba continued. "Arrow, keep those things off us."

"As you say," Shaadi said at the same time Arrow nodded tersely.

"We'll meet back by the bar once we've taken care of our side of things," Kaiba said. "If the other group doesn't show up within a few minutes, lie low. We'll find you."

"Understood," Lantern replied before moving to help the victims in the area with Mai.

"Shaadi," Kaiba said.

The Advisor nodded and hesitated in order to regain the spell's source with his senses before racing down the street followed closely by Arrow and Kaiba. They dodged pools of melting ice cream pausing just long enough for Arrow to fire a _Spell Shattering Arrow_ at vehicles that were clearly emergency vehicles before continuing. At one point, the vigilante was about to fire his Spell when he noticed a flash of red and gold darting through the air. From his research online and Kaiba's hack into SHIELD, he recognized the colorful blur.

"Avengers," he cried.

"Where?" Kaiba demanded.

"Iron Man, my twelve o'clock," he replied before released his Spell and hurrying after his Regent, not waiting to see the ice cream become an ambulance once again.

* * *

 

"Sir."

"Yes JARVIS," Tony replied casually as he fired a repulser blast at another stray Doombot which attempted to dodge by rounding a corner sharply.

"I have identified the Regent on the ground."

"Where?" Tony exclaimed, pulling up abruptly to study the visual indicators on his visor.

Sure enough, running down the sidewalk with a digital red circle around his head was the Regent. The visuals momentarily zoomed out to take in a hooded archer who fired a glowing arrow towards one of the former cars. Tony moved to retaliate when he noticed the ice cream was now an ambulance. The archer on the visor appeared to have noticed Tony watching and bolted down the sidewalk, catching up to and keeping up with the Regent.

"Well, well," Tony said. He activated his communicator and said, "I've found the Regent. He's being followed by an archer in green. Looks like you've got some competition, Legolas."

 _"I will kill you,"_ Barton disgruntled voice replied.

 _"Is the archer a friendly?"_ the Captain's voice asked.

Tony smirked. "He fired some special arrow which turned Loki's magic on its head."

 _"Meaning?"_ Natasha pressed curtly.

"The ice cream's now an ambulance again," Tony said. "And from the looks of it, fully functioning since the EMTs are getting stuff out of it."

 _"Friendly then,"_ Sam's voice said. _"Got it. I'll keep an eye out."_

"Someone tell Bruce?" Tony asked.

 _"Bruce is a bit...indisposed at the moment,"_ Sam said _. "Looks like Big and Green couldn't resist some target practice. Not that I blame him,"_ he added with an audible snicker.

"Right," Tony said.

 _"Stark,"_ the Captain said _. "Try to follow them from a distance."_

"Already on it," Tony said, activating his repulsers and jetting through the sky after the Regent and his archer buddy. "They're headed southeast from the south end of Central Park."

 _"I'm near there,"_ Barton said _. "I'll see if I can spot them."_

"Don't get shot out of your nest," Tony teased.

_"Will you ever stop it with your bird jokes?"_

"Never."

Hawkeye huffed and Sam called in. _"Looks like more of those Doombots are headed this way."_

 _"Anyone actually seen Doom yet?"_ Captain America said.

 _"Not yet,"_ Natasha said. " _Which is weird. He's usually more showy than this."_

 _"Unless he's aiding Loki indirectly,"_ Barton said.

_"The hell?!"_

"Sam! Sam whatcha got?" Tony called urgently.

 _"The Doombots are attacking Doom!"_ Falcon exclaimed. _"I repeat, the Doombots are attacking Doom!"_

 _"So he is here,"_ Natasha said.

 _"Yeah, he just showed up on a hovercraft of some kind,"_ Falcon said. _"There are about six or seven Doombots attacking him."_

 _"Any of the others joining in?"_ the Captain asked.

 _"Yes but not on our side,"_ Falcon replied.

 _"Hang on, I'm almost there,"_ Barton said _. "I see them,"_ he said after a moment. _"Falcon, move a little to the right."_

_"Gotcha."_

Barton waited until his comrade cleared the space before firing an exploding arrow at the hovercraft Doom stood on. _"It's a pity Wolverine couldn't get here,"_ he said, drawing another arrow to fend off the Doombots who had sighted him.

 _"On your left,"_ Falcon said before dive bombing a Doombot advancing on Barton's position.

 _"Thanks for the cover,"_ Hawkeye replied.

_"Don't mention it."_

_"I agree,"_ Captain America said. _"He would've been a good addition."_

"Good drinker too," Tony added.

 _"You would,"_ Natasha said followed by a gunshot. _"Fury said the X-Men decided to stay out of this for the time being."_

"What? I thought they liked parties."

 _"They do,"_ Natasha said. _"But not the kind that involves two supervillains tag teaming."_

"But those are the best kind."

 _"Tony,"_ Rogers said.

"Yeah, Cap?"

_"Control yourself."_

"Yes, Mom." Tony smirked at the all but audible eye roll as he rounded the corner before pulling up short. "Guys," he said. "I found Loki."

 _"Where?"_ Barton demanded sharply.

"Or more accurately," Tony corrected watching the red circled Regent stop and stare directly at the Asgardian trickster in civilian guise, "the Regent found him." He noticed an Middle Eastern man pointing to the Asgardian who seemed to have taken notice of his company.

 _"What's happening?"_ the Captain demanded.

"Nothing yet," Tony said. "Looks like we can add someone else to the Regent's group."

 _"Who? Loki?"_ Falcon asked.

"Nope. Some Middle Eastern dude," Tony said. "Long robes, turban, the whole shebang."

 _"Eclectic, this Regent,"_ Natasha said. _"Where are you?"_

"West 71st Street and West Central Park," Tony said.

 _"Falcon, switch places with me,"_ she said. _"I'll cover Barton. You meet up with Stark."_

 _"Can do,"_ Sam said.

"Better hurry," Tony said. "Last thing we need is another team up."


	21. Shadows, Triggers, and Attacks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which a game is almost played, the Shadows are more sentient and possessive than even the Court realized, a doctor stops the death of another doctor, and Kaiba in not doing so well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** Long chapter alert. This is almost 6,000 words long, fyi. I wrote it in one sitting so...yeah. Kaiba gets to meet Doctor Strange and a few of the Avengers in this. Needless to say, he doesn't take to it too well.

"And who might you be?"

Kaiba stared at the source of the ice cream spell with open disdain. "Someone who's not amused by your parlor tricks," he said.

The sorcerer arched an eyebrow, his lips twitching upwards at the corner complimenting the mischievous glint in his green eyes. "No? Not even a little?"

Kaiba's eyes narrowed. "I hate repeating myself," he said.

The dark haired sorcerer chuckled. "You would not be the only one," he said stepping forward.

Arrow tensed beside Kaiba, tightening his hold on the feathered bolt knocked to his bowstring. The sorcerer noticed and his smirk grew into a wide smile.

"It seems your companion is a bit -what is the phrase?- ah yes, trigger happy," he said.

"Then he's doing his job," Kaiba replied.

"Are we going to talk or would you prefer to fight?" the sorcerer asked, his form melting away to reveal a tall man, clothed in black and green leather embellished by gold armour and ridiculously outlandish helmet featuring two large, curved horns similar to a ram's.

Kaiba smirked. "Wearing that? Gold is soft and useless," he said. "It's for looks only; hardly useful for battle armor."

"What makes you think you'll be able to lay a hand on me?" the sorcerer asked in genuine curiosity.

"I have no desire to touch something beneath me," Kaiba said coldly. "Remove this spell at once."

"And why should a god," the sorcerer said with obvious amusement, "take orders from a mortal?"

"You are no god," Kaiba said, giving his own wolfish grin. "You are an alien posing as one. If I wanted to deal with gods, I wouldn't have come to you."

The sorcerer drew back, placing a hand over his heart in mock offense. "You wound me. I meant no harm," he said, sweeping a hand out, taking in the chaotic atmosphere around them. "It was just a bit a fun."

"You think this is a game," Kaiba murmured in understanding. "Typical. From your clothes I'd say you're related to the Vikings. You resemble someone I met just the other day."

"Oh?"

"A woman by the name of Sif," Kaiba said noting the sour expression that crossed the sorcerer's face, "and the bitch she was hunting, Lorelei."

"Lorelei?" the sorcerer repeated in surprise that may or may not have been fake. "So she's back under the thumb of Asgard. That didn't take as long as I thought it would."

"You know her?" Arrow demanded, tightening his grip on his bow and stepping up to be even with his Regent. Kaiba glanced sharply at the man, watching him carefully for any sign he would snap.

"Quite well, though not as well as her sister," the sorcerer replied. He grinned. "I take it from your reaction, you two are...acquainted." The vigilante tensed and glared viciously at the sorcerer who grinned like a fox. "I see." He turned back to Kaiba and said, "Was there something you wanted or did you just come here to bother me?"

"Remove the spell you've cast on this place," Kaiba demanded.

"Why?"

"Because if you don't, I'll do it and the damage from my method could be...extensive," the Regent replied shrugging casually. "Normally, I would do it anyway but I figured speaking to someone who has the ability to cast such a powerful spell would be a worthy opponent in words if not actions. However," he lifted an eyebrow and stared at the other sorcerer in disdain, "it seems I miscalculated and overestimated your abilities."

The sorcerer glared. "Do you know who I am?" he hissed.

"I don't bother getting to know those beneath me," Kaiba said sharply.

This clearly did not sit well with the dark sorcerer of Asgard. His eyes became cold green fire like the glow that surrounded his hands. "I am Loki of Asgard, and it is you who are beneath me."

Kaiba threw his head back and laughed. The sound was not of joy or happiness but derision and dark amusement. It reminded Arrow of when they first spoke in the Watchtower a year ago and it sent chills up his spine. The sound rubbed him the wrong way. He glanced to Kaiba's left and noticed Shaadi gazing at the Regent with a similar look of discomfort.

"How amusing," Kaiba said, grinning at the Asgardian sorcerer like a snake would a mouse. "Let's test that theory shall we? You like games. Let's play one. If I win, you remove the spell cast on this area and leave. If you win, I'll leave and let you have your fun no strings attached."

Loki cocked an eyebrow and shifted to a more comfortable stance. "I'm intrigued," he said, considering the suggestion. "What game?"

"Did I ever mention I love games?" a new voice interrupted.

Startled, Kaiba, Arrow, Shaadi, and Loki turned to see none other than Iron Man land on the sidewalk nearby. The gold mask lifted revealing a tan face with a black beard and mustache, the same face Kaiba recognized from the SHIELD archives as belonging to Tony Stark of Stark Industries.

"You're intruding, Stark," Loki said snidely. "This has nothing to do with you."

"Actually it does," Iron Man said. "See, this is New York, and you aren't welcome here. Especially since your oh-so-grand entrance earlier."

"You hold grudges?" Loki asked, grinning.

"You threw me out a window," Iron Man said with a deadpan expression. "That's not something I can easily forget."

Arrow glanced sharply at Kaiba who had stiffened at Iron Man's words. His face, however, betrayed absolutely nothing. If the vigilante had not been aware of Kaiba's past and current presence through the Shadows, he would have missed the subtle twitch entirely. As it was, he decided it would be best to let things be handled by the locals.

"Regent," he said quietly, "we should leave. It isn't worth it."

Kaiba met Arrow's gaze through the corner of his eye.

"I agree," Shaadi said drawing Kaiba's attention as well. "We have done what was needed," he added in Arabic. "We have found the source of the spell." He met his Regent's eyes with his unsettling golden brown. "Let them handle it from here."

Kaiba Seto was never one to walk away from a challenge, but even he would admit that some things simply were not worth his time and effort. Especially when there were other people who were better equipped to handle the situation at the given time. Besides, he had more important things to worry about like finding Mokuba and the crazy Titan.

He did not speak, he simply stuffed his hands in his pockets and walked away, Arrow and Shaadi falling into step beside him. Unfortunately, they did not get far before-

"Hey! What's the rush?"

"This has nothing to do with us Iron Man," Kaiba said. "Take out your own garbage."

"Aw, come on," the Avenger moaned, followed closely by a hum and streak of green that just missed Kaiba's shoulder.

Arrow whirled with an arrow knocked on his bowstring. Before he could fire it in retaliate however, about five mechanical dogs darted around the corner of a nearby street and began blasting anything in sight. The moment they noticed Kaiba however they howled and charged him.

"It seems they remember you," Shaadi said to his Regent, lifting his hands to cast a Spell.

Kaiba did not answer verbally, but he did grin. Who was he to turn down an opportunity when it presented itself? And as long as the group of robots acted in tandem as a single unit, the Regent could trick the Shadows into thinking they were actually one entity to be controlled. Except this time, Kaiba wanted one of them for his own. The chance to study them was incredibly tempting. But first he had to get the group distracted by another target.

" _Attack Guidance Armor_ ," he said in hieratic and pointed to Loki. Predictably, the robots halted in their advance noticing a very enticing morsel in green and gold wearing an eye-catching armored chest piece that certainly was not there a moment ago. " _Enemy Controller_ ," he shouted, pointing to the robotic dog nearest him. "You stay with me and obey my every command."

Instantly, the pack separated, the majority swarming Iron Man and the Trapped sorcerer Loki. The lone robotic dog singled out by Kaiba approached the Regent and obediently sat down facing him waiting further commands.

"Oh, now that's just not fair," Iron Man said, activating his repulsers and taking to the air. "Guys, I need backup over here!" he called into his communicator.

"Kohai, Shaadi," Kaiba said quickly. "Split up. Meet back with Mai and Lantern. If something goes wrong, I'll find you. Go!"

Without waiting for a response, Kaiba turned on his heal and ran down the street parallel to Central Park at top speed. His Shadows felt Arrow running into the park while Shaadi fled down a street perpendicular to it. They could easily Travel away when they stepped into a shadow. Their goal had been to deactivate the spell on this place but it seemed Iron Man and the robots under the control of Kaiba's Trap were doing a sufficient job at keeping the sorcerer distracted from holding the spell. Already a few bicycles, skateboards, and strollers were reforming from their previous ice cream counterparts.

Speaking of the robots, Kaiba glanced to his left and noticed the robot he had ordered to his side was obediently bounding next to him matching its speed to the Regent's. It was a selfish desire to take it with him, but Kaiba was intensely interested in the robot. What made it work so well? What was involved in its creation? What made it tick?

Tick?

Kaiba skidded to a stop and stared at the robot in dawning horror. A loud explosion echoed from the direction he came from and he suddenly knew without looking exactly what had caused it. The robot was rigged to explode. Damn! He dropped to his knees and moved his hands expertly around the robot dog's metal surface feeling for an indent or panel of some sort. There, on the belly.

"Lie down," he commanded.

The robot obediently lay down, allowing itself to be rolled onto its side so Kaiba could access the panel on its belly just as another of the robots left behind with their Trapped target exploded. The panel was screwed shut and Kaiba did not have a screwdriver or drill or anything. All he had were his Shadows, his Deck, his knowledge and expertise in machinery and technology, and his refusal to give up what could be his only chance to study these fascinating creations.

Narrowing his eyes, he placed his hands flat on the panel's surface and drew on his Shadows. He could not think of any Spell or Trap in his Deck or that he knew of in general that could fix this. What about Monsters? None that he had he could use. The Monsters in his Deck were all mainly offensive Monsters. Unless he could somehow borrow one of the King's Monsters. But was it worth the time, concentration, and power drain that would require?

The Shadows hissed, feeling their Regent's distress. They prodded the robot experimentally, curious about its uniqueness. It had no sentience, no soul, no driving force except for the commands programmed into it currently overridden by their Regent's Spell. Perhaps they could use this to their advantage.

Seizing the opportunity, they rushed through their Regent's body causing him to convulse in shock but they paid him no heed. He was theirs and they would do him no harm. They wanted this thing. It was intriguing, an empty shell waiting for something to animate it. They surged through the metal panel and into the circuitry, wiping the motherboard clean of programmed commands, severing the creator's tenuous control as well as their Regent's binding Spell, and took control.

They found the explosive device deep inside the robot's mechanical body and encased it in their essence. They would not have their new toy destroyed so soon after finding it. It was theirs! The bomb detonated, but the Shadows held firm, containing the blast within their dark confines. Then they took full control of their new puppet and animated it.

Kaiba blinked when the robot twitched then fell back in shock when it stood and stared at him. Seth surged to the surface of his mind and shared his eyes, stunned by the Shadows' actions. The Shadows... They were in control. Never in their life had the two halves of Set's soul ever imagined this was possible. They knew the Shadows were sentient, they would be stupid not to, but not to this extent. They felt the Shadows gaze at them through the red mechanical eyes and felt exposed, adored, worshipped, commanded, and controlled. Together, the Regent and Priest were the Shadows' and the Shadows were theirs.

They felt their hand reach out tentatively for the Shadow possessed robot, feeling the pull of the essence they commanded and were commanded by. It was inescapable, like the gravity of a black hole. Its depths unknown except to those who surrendered to it entirely. Kaiba as the Regent was forever spinning on the edge of the Shadows' gravitational pull, unable to go closer without going too deep and both unable to and not wanting to escape.

He felt like the first time he saw Obelisk as a true god and not just a exceptionally powerful Monster on a card or when he and Seth first held the Millennium Rod in ancient Egypt as High Priest Set. They felt small, young, and insignificant, but also strong, powerful, and beloved. They reached out slowly, afraid the Shadows would reject them, then-

Something smashed into the ground before them just before they were blinded by a brilliant light and deafened by an explosion. Instinctively, their eyes clamped shut and they recoiled into a protective position behind the round object separating them from the Shadows as parts blasted outward from the robot. Then they gasped as the Shadows that had been in possession of the destroyed robot streamed from the robot and back into their Regent causing his body to convulse at the sudden influx of sentience, awareness, and power before returning to the Shadow Realm where they belonged leaving Kaiba and Seth shaking and gasping from the experience.

After a moment, Kaiba blinked back to reality, his eyesight shot from the darkness that had traveled through him so suddenly and powerfully. After a moment, the light faded to a more tolerable level as his pupils adjusted for the brightness and he noticed why he had not been seriously injured by the explosion. A large, circular metal object had embedded itself in the ground between him and the obliterated robot.

He scrambled up to his knees and stared at the ruined remains of the robot and cursed colorfully. The explosive device inside the thing had been deactivated. He felt it through the Shadows. How had it exploded? What caused it? What-

"Hey! You alright?"

Kaiba looked up and was surprised to see a black man hovering in the air on a pair of mechanical wings attached to what looked suspiciously like a type of jet pack land about a dozen or so feet away from him. His eyes flickered to the right and saw another man, this one caucasian and wearing a blue leather uniform with a pullover mask much like the Flash's. Movement on his left revealed Iron Man in all his hot rod red and gold glory land nearby. They were all just close enough to make Kaiba feel boxed in but far enough away for Kaiba to successfully dodge an attack should he need to.

He reached out with his Shadows and was relieved to feel Shaadi and Arrow in close proximity to Mai and what he assumed to be Lantern. He cautiously stood and extended his Shadows once more, this time seeking an escape route. Unfortunately, although it was still morning and the shadows cast by the trees in the park were no longer nearly long enough to be in easy reach from the side of the street Kaiba current stood on. That only left his personal shadow and the round shadow cast by the shield that protected him from the blast as the current options for a quick getaway. Neither were preferable but nevertheless workable.

"Why destroy it?" he demanded.

"Uh, you mean you're welcome?" Iron Man said snidely.

"Hardly," Kaiba snapped. "The device had been deactivated and the robot was firmly under my control." Indirectly. "You destroyed what was in essence mine."

"You mean you managed to gain full control over it _and_ keep it from exploding on its own?" exclaimed the man in the blue leather uniform whom Kaiba assumed owned the shield at his feet if the design on the shield and the man's uniform were anything to go by.

"Thanks to your friend," Kaiba said glaring at Iron Man once more, "no."

"Sorry 'bout that," the man with the impressive mechanical wings said. "That was my bad actually. The others were goners and that was the only one that hadn't gone off yet. I chose to blast it before it blew up in your face. Cap over there," he nodded to the shield owner, "threw his shield to protect you from the explosion."

It was certainly annoying, but in a way it did make sense. Kaiba was not above scientific objectivity when he needed to be. It helped as both the CEO of a multi-million dollar corporation and as the Regent. These men had been operating on what they knew from the facts available to them and reacted accordingly. It was a logical move. Pity it was the wrong one.

Kaiba soothed his frayed Shadows who were not at all happy about loosing their potential new toy. While doing so, he noted with interest how they hissed and stayed clear of the man referred to as 'Cap.' Curious, he forced his Shadows to reach out and brush Cap's presence only to hiss himself and step back. Damn him! He was almost as bright as Superman, perhaps even more so. The man would never touch the Shadows even though he was human. The Shadows rejected his glow. Even Yugi would likely not accept him.

"You alright?" Cap asked.

Kaiba soothed his stinging Shadows gently, replying slowly. "Yes." He huffed. "Although this isn't exactly the way I would have preferred to meet."

"Coulson."

Kaiba smirked and turned back to Iron Man. "What about him?"

"You said you spoke to him in person," the obnoxiously colored mechanical man said seriously.

"I did," Kaiba acknowledge. "We had the same enemy. A bitch named Lorelei."

"Never heard of her."

"I'm sure your Thor has," Kaiba said. "We worked with a friend of his, an Asgardian named Sif."

"I read about her," the dark man with the mechanical wings said. "Fine woman from what I read."

"She was fair and honorable," Kaiba agreed, feeling Seth distantly echo his sentiments, too busy focusing on Iron Man.

Wondering why his Ba seemed interested in the man other than for his fascinating mechanical suit, Kaiba reached out with his Shadows and hesitated when he could not feel the man's presence immediately. He turned to Iron Man fully and focused his Shadows on the man, probing him gently for any presence.

Suddenly, he realized he _was_ feeling it, it was just...different. It felt mechanical and pulsed at a steady beat that could only be mechanical in nature. The man's soul was definitely present as was his shadow. But his heart, there was something wrong with his heart.

"Excuse me."

Blinking back, Kaiba noticed the man Cap had begun approaching him, probably hoping to retrieve his shield. Kaiba refused to step back even as his Shadows clamped onto him and tried to sneak away from the man's light.

"Sorry," Cap said. "Didn't mean to startle you. You just looked," he shrugged awkwardly, "a little lost."

"Considering I have yet to know your names other than what I saw briefly in the SHIELD archives, I think you owe me that much," Kaiba said.

"Oh, _we_ owe _you_?" the dark man said in disbelief.

"I found the source of this ridiculously childish spell, distracted him long enough for you to arrive, and informed you of your supposedly lost comrade's continued existence and you still won't tell me your names," Kaiba said simply, lifting an eyebrow.

"Well when you put it that way," the man said, "I'm called Falcon. That's Captain America," he said pointing to the man Cap retrieving his shield, "and you've met Iron Man."

"Tony Stark," Kaiba said. "Yes, the idiot who wouldn't stop talking while I was busy."

"You were ignoring me," Stark said.

"I do that to annoying people," Kaiba said, and Falcon snorted.

"Annoying?!"

"Stark," the captain said, "please?" Iron Man grumbled but stopped talking loudly. "I'm Steve Rogers," the captain said, extending his hand in a friendly manner.

Kaiba instinctively leaned back, eyeing the hand suspiciously. "I would rather not," he said. "I'm busy and you have a city to clean up." He turned and began walking away. He probably would not get far, but it was the attempt that mattered.

"Wait," Rogers called, running up to keep pace with Kaiba. "Look, I'm sorry about destroying the robot, but we do need to talk."

"We are," Kaiba said.

"I mean SHIELD needs to talk to you," he said, stepping in front of Kaiba. "You hacked into their systems. You broke the law."

"And you are blinding and should be dead but you're not," Kaiba said. "There are exceptions to almost everything, Captain. Now move."

"I won't ask you again," Rogers said, stepping sideways to block Kaiba's path. "Come with us, please."

"That's not a question, that's a command," Kaiba said, narrowing his eyes. His Shadows felt Falcon and Iron Man crowding behind him. Thankfully, they were not in his shadow yet so he still had a last resort escape route. Hopefully, he would not have to use it. "You do not command me," Kaiba continued. "Nor will you ever command me. Now move."

"I'm afraid I can't do that," Rogers said. "We have to take you to SHIELD."

"You and your archer and Middle Eastern friend too if we can find them," Iron Man added. "We know you were at the Park Grill and Bar earlier. Should we check there again?"

A tendril of Shadow brushed Kaiba's senses, inquiring as to his location. He recognized Mai's smokey presence and latched onto it firmly. He tugged it, warning her. "Is that a threat?" Kaiba asked calmly, drawing his Shadows to him. "Because if it is, I will react accordingly."

"You hacked into SHIELD's databases and while I'm personally impressed and don't really hold a grudge," Iron Man said, "the Cap's right. Especially with what you know of Coulson which is what I'm mostly interested in, anyway."

"I will say this one last time," Kaiba said. "As I told Coulson, I have no business with you, your people, or this world. It can burn for all I care. All I want is what's mine. Once I have it, I'll leave."

"What do you want?" Cap asked.

"Something which I'm now almost certain you don't have," Kaiba said. "If you're so interested in knowing, why don't you ask Coulson yourself."

"And how do we know he knows?" Falcon asked.

Kaiba smirked but did not look away from Captain America. "You don't."

"Look, if you'll just come with us we can-"

_Threat!_

The thought was just as much Seth's and Kaiba's as it was the Shadows'. The Regent reacted instantly to the warning, whirling in place and casting the _Attack Guidance Barrier_ moments before something struck it and rebounded for the ground nearby. Without pausing to see see the impact, Kaiba felt Kisara lash out in his mind and accepted her desire to be summoned without hesitation. He doubted it would be too much of a surprise after the things he had seen in this world over the past couple days.

"Blue Eyes White Dragon!" he cried, his voice almost drowned out by the distinctive roar of his precious Monster as she materialized above him and took to the sky. "Burst Stream of Destruction!"

She roared in pleasure and unleashed a blazing blue and white stream of crackling energy at her lover's attacker. For a split second, Kaiba caught a glimpse of the person who attacked him before he was blinded by his beloved's attack. The target was a humanoid with a metal covering his body and wearing a green hooded cape. The person tried dodging but Kaiba would not allow that.

" _Shadow Spell_!" he called in hieratic and chains made of pure Shadows extended from all directions and looped around the person, holding him in place and weakening him so Kisara's attack would strike true.

"Stop! Stop! We don't do this!" Rogers yelled.

But it was too late. The brilliant beam of destructive power struck the bound target, or it seemed to. When the blast dissipated, the target was still dangling from the Spell chains but someone else hovered in between it and Kisara. Kisara roared in fury, a feeling Kaiba could not help but feel as well. How dare someone block his and Kisara's attack. Who would dare?

The person had black hair, streaked with white and wore a red cape with a high collar and was currently levitating in the air so effortlessly it made Kaiba jealous. The man's sharp eyes focused on Kaiba and he slowly descended to the ground and approached the Regent.

"You would attack someone with such power in this city?" the man demanded sternly.

"How dare you stop me, you pathetic excuse for a mage!" Kaiba hissed stalking towards the man, the fury of a halted attack still blazing through his Shadows and burning his nerves. "Wait," he murmured, studying the approaching man with narrowed eyes, "you're the mage who tried to keep me from coming here."

"So it _is_ you," the man murmured, nodding thoughtfully. "I could not be sure what happened to you after the Bifrost broke our communication."

"Doctor Strange, you know him?" Rogers asked, still reeling from the vicious attack unleashed by such a deceptively young man.

"Relax Rogers," the mage, Strange, said. "I know him. Not well admittedly, but I do know him. We spoke briefly when he first arrived here."

"So," Kaiba said, crossing his arms to prevent himself from giving into the urge to lash out in his tightly leashed fury, "this is 'the city' you were referring to."

"It is," Strange said, coming to a stop several steps from Kaiba. "And I would appreciate it if you called back your summon. She is indeed beautiful but her presence is a beacon to others of your presence here which is not exactly something I think you want."

Kaiba paused thoughtfully. He knew other Shadows users could track Shadow magic. Who was to say other magic could be at least alerted by the surge of power required to summon a Monster. After all, this man, Strange, had certainly shown up at a distinctly annoying time. It was definitely a convenient coincident, if Kaiba believed in coincidences anymore.

He tucked his hands in his pockets and huffed. "Fine, but he," he glared at the green garbed metal man still held by his Shadow chains and yelling curses and promises of destruction, "will pay for attacking me from behind like a coward."

"It was not you I was attacking, sorcerer," the man hollared imperiously. Kaiba arched an eyebrow at the man's manner. "It was that imbecile Iron Man."

"Then your aim needs work," Iron Man yelled back.

"Agreed," Kaiba said.

"I do not support the senseless murder of others," Captain America said seriously. "Nor do I endorse torture."

"Your friend Coulson did not either," Kaiba said, glancing back at the superheroes standing nearby. "Normally, I would agree, but there are some circumstances where I acknowledge the need for such."

"There is never a good reason for torture," the Captain said earnestly. "There are always other ways."

Kaiba turned slowly and gazed at the Captain steadily, studying him. He was impressed by what he saw. The man was a soldier through and through, but it seemed he also had the heart of a saint. Why must Kaiba keep running into people like him?

"There are always exceptions," Kaiba said seriously before turning away and facing Strange once more.

Kisara growled, crouching low so her wings covered her lover and her intelligent blue eyes could continue to glare at the man who dared attack the one she loved more than life itself. She crooned, vibrating Kaiba's Shadows and drawing a small smile to his lips.

"I will withdraw my power on the understanding that I am free to go where I wish and do as I please," Kaiba said.

"But SHIELD-"

"Understandable," Strange interrupted Falcon's words. "From your perspective," he added. "But look at it from ours. Someone of great power and no clear allegiance appears in this city at the same time a spell of notable magnitude is cast and Doom attacks."

"Doom?"

"I am Doctor Doom, sorcerer," the man dangling from the chains above called furiously. "And I demand you release me at once."

Kaiba gazed at the man steadily for a moment, then grinned. The Shadow chains vanished and Doom suddenly tumbled to the ground below before vanishing. Kaiba blinked in surprise and Strange lifted his eyebrow at him. The look made the Regent snicker.

"Where did he-?"

"It's alright Falcon," Strange said calmly. "I merely sent him back to his home. He won't be causing anymore trouble for a while. Now," he said clasping his hands before him, "as I was saying, you must see this from our point of view. While I understand you attacked in self-defense, the force with which you attacked was excessive."

"Don't forget about Coulson," Stark said, cutting off the sorcerer who shook his head tolerantly.

"At least accompany us to either my home or SHIELD," he said. He raised his hands, palms out placatingly when it appeared Kaiba would reject. "You will not be treated as a criminal, you have my word on that."

"What?" Falcon said.

"And who are you to be giving such promises?" Kaiba asked.

"I am Doctor Stephen Strange, the Sorcerer Supreme of Earth," the sorcerer replied calmly. His voice belayed no pride or arrogance in the declaration. In contrast, there was a hint of sadness there which intrigued Kaiba. "It is my sworn duty to protect this world from travelers from other dimensions such as yourself."

"Myself?" Kaiba echoed. It seemed the good Doctor was willing to keep SHIELD unaware Kaiba and his group were from another reality and not an alternate dimension. That could be useful. "I see."

A twitch in the Shadows alerted Kaiba to Arrow's arrival on a nearby rooftop and mentally cursed the man. Loyalty was one thing, but the vigilante disobeyed a direct order to return to Mai and the others. Unless they sent him after the Regent. For some reason that thought both warmed Kaiba's heart as well as annoyed him. It was nice to be watched over but there was no need to be overprotective mother hens. He was perfectly fi-

An unexpected rush of uneasiness and uncertainty filled him, raising his hackles and covering his skin in gooseflesh. He silently cursed and bit back the feeling. He could not afford to have an episode in the middle of this. Seth shuddered violently and barricaded himself in Kaiba's soul room, curling in a ball as the pull of something neither of them wanted nor knew how to fight tugged on the both of them. Kisara growled and crouched close to the ground, lowering her head so it was even with her lover's and crooned steadily. The sound helped take the edge off the coming attack giving Kaiba enough strength to stand still and bear it.

Doctor Strange obviously noticed something was happening from the crinkling at the corners of his eyes but he made no mention of it aloud. Instead, he said quite calmly, "Your friends are welcome as well, of course."

"Yeah, all two of them," Iron Man added.

Kaiba felt his shoulders tense as an all too familiar feeling drained him of his energy. Any feeling of interest or amusement in the situation vanished. No one could understand the intensity or longevity of this feeling. Not Kisara with her gorgeous scales and soothing croons; not Seth with his intimate connection to Kaiba, no one. The distraction served to bring back the terrible sensation of an oncoming attack and Kaiba would be damned if he let these despicable people witness his moment of weakness.

"Iron Man!" Doctor Strange said sharply. "That's quite enough."

Unfortunately, the scolding came too late.

"I refuse," Kaiba said simply, before crossing his arms in the manner of the mummified pharaohs of old, closed his eyes, and fell backwards into his shadow cast across the ground from the morning sunlight.

He heard cries of surprise before the welcoming silence and soothing lukewarm of the Shadows. Kisara returned to his Deck the moment she felt Kaiba merge with the Shadows. She encased Kaiba's Shadow enshrouded body with her own blazing presence and Seth emerged from Kaiba's soul room to cling to his Ka as the attack hit them more intensely than it ever had before.

Electricity zinged through Kaiba's nerves making his skin simultaneously burn and freeze with unending pain. His body, had it been a truly solid manifestation within this Shadowed world between everything and anything, would have convulsed and his throat would have screamed itself raw. As it was, sound and physical materials were lost in this place allowing Kaiba to suffer in privacy.

The Shadows caressed their Regent, desiring to end his pain but unable to do so. They would not loose their chaotic ruler so they held their Regent in their dark clutches, refusing any attempt to pull him back. As long as their Regent was here, he was protected and hidden. They would let nothing steal their Regent from them.

Nothing.

They swore to him long ago he was theirs and they were his. They never broke their oaths and they would not let anyone, not even their Regent, try to break them.

When the attack passed, the Shadows lashed out to the nearest Shadow user and yanked the stunned human into their embrace before forcefully sending all of them to their Advisor and Sorceress. Perhaps they or the human who wielded the green light could help their Regent where they no longer could.


	22. Eclipse of Hope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the sun is eclipsed and hope begins to waver.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** I have a Climatology test tomorrow morning and I'm fairly certain I bombed today's Italian 2001 test...epically. I haven't gone over this or the previous chapter to edit them yet due to those reasons and others. I plan on doing it tomorrow afternoon when things calm down. Otherwise, good night and enjoy.

The moment he woke, he knew something was off. He felt confused and disoriented and rolled over in his bed only to realize he was in a bed. He had been asleep and the sun was already up. This was not right. This was not the way things should be. Where was Seto? Why was he alone?

He fell. Helios fell with him. Seto was shot but coming after him. He knew that. He never doubted that. Seto would always come for him. That was an absolute Mokuba could believe in.

Today, Mokuba and Helios were going to meet this Strange person in New York City to hopefully get help finding Seto. He glanced at the clock on the bedside table and was relieved to see he still had two and a half hours until they were supposed to leave. But he was a bit confused why Helios had not woken him up.

He sat up in bed and looked around to see Helios sitting comfortably in a chair nearby reading. The Titan looked up when Mokuba moved and flashed a dim smile at the boy. "Sleep well?" he asked.

Mokuba groaned and Helios laughed. "I want Seto," Mokuba said softly and Helios's expression became sympathetic. "Do you think this Strange person can help us find him?"

"From the way Charles speaks of him, I'm sure he's a good man," Helios said, looking out the bedroom window. "I believe he will try. Whether or not it will work is still unknown at this point."

Mokuba nodded slowly and got out of bed, pulling his pants and shoes on. He wanted to see his big brother again at any cost. He had just finished typing his shoes when the door to his room opened and Logan stepped in holding the door open for Charles. The bald man had a genial smile on his face as he rolled his wheelchair inside.

"Morning Mr. Charles," Mokuba chirped.

"Good morning Mokuba," the man replied kindly. "Helios," he added, nodding to the Titan. He clasped his hands in his lap and his smile faded somewhat. "I am sorry to say that our little excursion must be delayed somewhat."

"What?" Mokuba cried in dismay. "Why?"

"Because it is not safe there at the moment," Charles said, holding out a hand in a placating manner. "It is currently under siege by at least two supervillains, possibly three. The Avengers are handling it and my people have an understanding with the Avengers and SHIELD. We do not meddle in their affairs and they do not meddle in ours. If they need us, we will aid them. But to do so beforehand would be intruding and, for all we know, we may help make the situation worse."

Mokuba's shoulders drooped in depression. "You can't even drop us off at the edge of the city or something?" he pleaded. "We can walk or ride Euos there."

Charles sighed heavily. "I'm afraid not," he said. "There is, well quite honestly, there's a spell on the city right now that would make transporting you anywhere near it impossible, not to mention dangerous, no matter how amusing it is."

"Amusing?" Helios asked curiously.

Charles bit back an ironic smile. "Believe it or not, the spell is turning every transportation vehicle from strollers to tractor trailers into, well, ice cream," he said.

Mokuba's head popped up in shock. "Ice cream?" he exclaimed. "You mean you can eat your car?"

Charles chuckled and even Logan cracked a small smile. "Yes, you could," he said. "Although, you can see how that could also pose a problem. Even if we did not take you by air, the vehicle carrying you would turn to ice cream and that could cause injury which I cannot allow."

"And if we took Euos?" Helios asked.

"That could be the best option," Charles admitted. "But I am a bit hesitant to send you out on your own even if you know your way and could get there safely. I am currently unable to contact Stephen and I will need to inform him of your arrival."

"But we can still go?" Mokuba asked, eyes huge and watery focusing themselves on Charles and Logan. The burly man standing next to Charles quirked a smile at the adorable look and Charles lifted an eyebrow in amusement.

"Now, now, no need for those eyes," he said. "Of course we can still go. I keep my promises. However, I suggest we wait until the activity in New York settles down a little. If I have to, I'll contact Stephen now but I believe he is busy at the moment."

"Who cast the spell?" Helios asked.

"Loki," Logan answered.

"Loki? From Asgard?"

"So he claims, yes," Charles said. He studied Helios closely. "You know him?"

Helios pressed several fingers to his temple and grimaced. "I would say yes, but I'm beginning to think this Loki is not the one I've met."

"Hm, you're probably right," Charles agreed. "I believe it would be best if we waited for the 'all clear' from SHIELD before leaving. But," he said, holding his hands out, "I will not stop you if you wish to leave."

Helios glanced at Mokuba. "I differ to you," he said.

Mokuba pulled his knees up to his chest and hugged them, thinking hard. He wanted to find his brother. That was all he could think about. Seto. He had to get back to Seto.

"Let's go," he said firmly.

Helios nodded and Charles sighed but nodded as well. "I understand," he said calmly. "I will attempt to contact Stephen to inform him you're coming. I suggest you don't leave until I've contacted him."

"We will wait," Helios said, standing from his seat. He watched Charles roll his chair back out through the door before Logan closed the door. "I will get Euos ready and wait outside if you want," he said.

Mokuba nodded and Helios made his way out. When the Titan was gone, Mokuba looked out the window. For some reason, he felt uncomfortable, stifled. He had not slept well the night before and when he had, his dreams had been weird and disconcerting. He felt tired and unrested and disturbed. The need to find Seto had skyrocketed overnight.

Something told him his big brother needed him more than usual. He knew Seto always needed him and would die before he let anything happen to him, but this went deeper than that. It was foreboding that set the hair on his arms on end and made him hyperaware.

"Mokuba."

Mokuba jumped and whirled around to see Helios standing by the bedroom door watching him closely. Apparently, the Titan had not left. Mokuba briefly wondered how long it would have taken him to notice Helios's continued presence in his current mindset.

His thoughts twisted and tugged at him urgently, whispering to him and Mokuba blinked in astonishment. Those were not his thoughts, they were his Shadows. His Shadows were what he had been feeling and what were now warning him about something. Mokuba felt a thrill of excitement. He may have been a central part of the Shadow Court but he had never been able to really utilize his Shadows much without Ra-Horahkty's direct help.

The time Mokuba had helped the blue trickster Kurt with the prank had been the first time he had really used them in a practical manner. And now they were tugging his consciousness and whispering to him. It sounded like gibberish to his ears but he knew the essence of what they were saying.

Go. Go now. Don't wait. Something is out there. Run. Now.

"Helios," Mokuba said softly. "I... I need to go. Now."

"I'll get Euos," the Titan said. "We'll be at the front entrance."

No!

Helios stopped abruptly and turned to face Mokuba with wide eyes. Mokuba blinked, confused by his friend's dumbstruck expression before realizing he had shouted the word that rang out in his mind as clearly as if someone had said it right by his ear. The Shadows, they were warning him again.

"Don't go," Mokuba said, repeating the words he heard in his head. "Something's out there."

Helios's eyes narrowed before darkening to a shade of gold that resembled dark amber more than the brilliant sun gold they usually were. The sunlight streaming through the window suddenly seemed to grow in intensity forcing Mokuba to wince.

"Are you doing that?" he asked.

"No time. Come," Helios said curtly, grabbing Mokuba's shoulder and yanking him out of the room. "We need to get outside. My power is greatest in sunlight."

"What's going on?" Mokuba demanded, running with Helios's fast pace. They dodged students just heading for their first classes or, more likely, their breakfast. Several were knocked out of the way while others managed to duck out of their way. "Helios," Mokuba tried again, "what's going on? What's out there?"

"I do not know for sure, but I have my suspicions," the Titan replied. "Either way, it'll be easier if we face whoever it is outside."

"What about the others?" the young Keeper asked. "What about Mr. Charles and the man with the off hair?"

"Charles is a telepath," Helios answered, swerving around a corner. "A very powerful one. He probably already knows. As for Logan, it's likely he'll be the first to know after Charles."

Here!

They ran down the stairs, turning a corner only for Helios to stop abruptly forcing Mokuba to slam into him from behind. Confused, Mokuba backed up and and looked around Helios towards the bottom of the stairs and tensed, unable to believe his eyes.

Standing at the foot of the stairs, blocking their path was a being that radiated power. He had close cut, curly blonde hair, tanned skin and, aside from his good looks and the power that vibrated the air around him, appeared average. His clothes were deceptively modern in style but for some reason they seemed...wrong. His crimson shirt and jeans were workable and obviously worn just to give the illusion of blending in.

Mokuba recognized him and hated him. This man, no... This god had driven the Shadows into a bloodthirsty frenzy to the point they possessed Seto and forced him to attack the Justice League in a twisted form of a Penalty Game. Mokuba would never forget this god's face. He filed it away with similar visages like Maximillion Pegasus and Dartz.

"Hello Helios," the god said in a deceptively calm manner.

"Ares," the Titan breathed, straightening his back and glaring down his nose at the Olympian. He shifted so his body was between Ares and Mokuba.

"You were hard to find, I admit," Ares said, scratching his neck casually. "When you up and vanished off the face of the earth, it through me off the trail. I had to get a little help tracking you down."

"Oh?"

Mokuba stepped back, feeling his Shadows pull him away from the situation. They tugged his mind and his clothes. He looked down and saw tentacles of darkness rise from his shadow on the floor cast by the windows above the stairs landing he and Helios stood on. They looped around his arms and legs, pinching his clothes and tugging like a child begging for attention. He listened to their warnings and backed up.

He felt power build up and lifted his eyes to see Helios glowing brighter than normal, or was that due to the sunlight coming through the window? The air around the Titan felt heavy and hot like a humid day in midsummer. Helios's eyes were hard and sharp as he stared unafraid at the god of war.

"Indeed," Ares replied with a slight smile. "We seemed to have a shared enemy, per say, and decided to work together for the time being."

"The bombing," Helios said calmly.

Ares nodded and Mokuba felt his skin grow cold. His Shadows tugged harder and he looked down to see the tendrils snake across the landing to the window. Sun, they said. Help comes.

Help? Charles?

A wall of wind blasted through the hallway knocking Ares back several steps. Lightning danced through the air, igniting it and creating earsplitting thunder. Both Ares and Helios tensed, reminded of another who wielded lightning. Helios, who had been aware of miss Ororo's power beforehand, recovered first and took advantage of Ares's distraction to turn to Mokuba.

"Stay here," he commanded. "Don't follow me!"

Then he ran down the stairs, forcing Ares back with a swift and powerful sideswipe and made for the front doors. His powers were at their fullest in the sunlight. He needed that extra boost now more than ever since his powers were not at their best in this world with a sun that was not really his. He was at once relieved and distressed when Ares followed him. He would have to take care of this quickly.

The moment he burst out into the open, his powers leapt up within him. He ran further into the courtyard only to see a crowd of mutants, some whom he and Mokuba had met the other day, and some he did not know. They, like Ororo still unleashing her natural fury behind him and Ares, were ready to fight.

"Stand down!" he cried. "Do not give him the chance to possess you!" A blast of wind struck him from behind and he staggered at its ferocity. "Close your eyes and whatever you do, do not open them until this is over."

He saw the brief confusion on their faces before spinning around and drawing on his full power. His light blazed from his core, hot and heavy and energetic. He was death and life, hope and despair, he was a star and Ares was a god who dared try to extinguish his light.

"Stand down Ares," he commanded, blazing in fury. "Leave me be or burn."

"You're a member of a dead species," Ares hissed. "Zeus all but single handedly destroyed your kind."

"And yet I live," Helios said. "Did you ever wonder why that is, Ares? Or is your puny, war addled mind too pathetic to comprehend such thoughts?"

Ares seethed and his modern clothing burned away revealing the Olympian god of war in all his vicious glory. "If you come back willingly, Zeus may be merciful," Ares said. "I would prefer it if you fought. I love a good fight." He slung his large, round shield from his shoulder to block an explosion of flare and electromagnetic energy lashed out from the Helios's now blinding form. Ares laughed. "Like it, filthy Titan?"

"Hardly," Helios replied.

"Hephaestus forged it for me," Ares continued, tossing the shield up and catching it expertly. "It's built to withstand even your flames Titan."

"My flames, perhaps," Helios said. "But was it forged to withstand my gravity and magnetism?"

Ares winced, suddenly struggling to keep his shield on his arm. The metal disk vibrated and all but dragged the war god towards Helios. He hissed and used all of his strength to pull the shield back, bracing himself against the Titan's magnetic pull and crushing gravity. After a moment, he gave in to the magnetic pull and tossed the heavy shield like a discuss at the Titan.

Helios, not expecting the move, just managed to redirect the shield momentum with a combination of his gravity and magnetic force so it circled him in an orbit. As the shield completed its orbit, Helios released his hold on the disk and slingshot it back at Ares accompanied by yet another flare and solar wind.

Unfortunately for Helios, Ares was a god of war and thus more durable than the average Olympian. He took the brunt of the wind, withstanding it through sheer strength and force of will. Somehow, he managed to retrieve his shield in time to protect himself from yet another of Helios's blazing fury. The Titan could not help but be impressed.

At that moment, he noticed movement near Ares. Glancing at it, he was horrified to see Mokuba racing out of the mansion. It was only a split second, but that was all Ares needed to strike. He tossed his shield again and this time Helios did not react fast enough. The metal struck him in the chest, crushing his clavicle, arm, and several ribs with the impact.

Helios screamed and crashed to the ground, his glow dimmed dramatically to levels more tolerable to human eyes. Naturally, that was when the mutants decided to strike back at the assailant who dared start a battle on their home territory. A beam of red light blazed forth towards Ares who deflected it with his shield, a dark grin filling his face.

"Helios!"

The Titan cursed his thrice damned luck when he heard Mokuba's voice. "Stop!" he screamed. "Don't fight. If you do," he cough when his chest burned in agony as forced himself to stand, "you give him the opportunity to possess you."

"Like hell mate," he heard Logan snarl.

Helios knew the moment Ares moved to strike the human with his power and lashed out first. He forced his light to grow back to a blaze that drew pained cries from the humans present. It was not bright enough or prolonged enough to cause significant damage to their eyes, but it would pain them and disorient them and dear Gaia it drained him. But at least the mutants' desire to fight had been temporarily muted.

Ares fumed at the lost chance and leapt forward, charging into combat head on. A familiar whinny rang through the air and Helios felt his heart fill with hope.

 _:If you won't let us fight with you,:_ Charles' voice said in the Titan's mind, _:then let us help in other ways.:_

Helios found himself nodding to the silent message of his own just as Euos landed next to him and reared, kicking out at the Olympian aggressor. _:No matter what happens, protect Mokuba,:_ Helios said. _:He must come first.:_

Ares had just enough time to raise his shield protecting himself from the potentially painful blows when Helios lashed out with another flare. In addition, he created a field of extreme gravity and attempted to crush Ares's prized shield. The metal groaned under the pressure and Ares's knees began to buckle.

It was beginning to take a turn for the better when Helios felt the weakness return. He knew its origin but had fervently hoped it would not affect him too badly. It appeared the lack of Nectar for the past year combined with the lack of a true home field advantage was decreasing his capability to fight back successfully.

Just when Helios was beginning to stagger, something flashed in his peripheral vision. But before he had the chance to fully comprehend what it was, three spikes of agony speared his chest from behind causing his already damaged lungs to seize. His magical onslaught halted abruptly as he staggered. Euos whinnied but could not attack Helios's assailant without further injuring his master.

Ares lowered his shield and shook his head, an amused smile on his face. "That was the best fun I've had in ages," he said mildly. "I should say thank you for the exercise but I'm afraid I'm in a hurry and my comrade has things to do here as well, so," he slung his shield back over his shoulder and strolled forward to the stunned Titan, "I'll be ending this now."

The knives withdrew swiftly, slicing through Helios's flesh. He staggered before collapsing limply to the ground at Ares's feet. Euos neighed pathetically before fading into the sunlight from whence he was first born, unable to hold his form without the aid of his currently incapacitated master. The god of war looked up and met the possessed mortal's eyes.

"That's a fine set of weapons there," he said with a cheeky grin. "I might just consider using that idea myself. Who knows," he winked, "could be useful again one day."

He released the mortal from his power and savored the horrified revulsion on the dark haired man's face. Then he stepped forward, planted his foot directly on Helios's bloodied body, grinned, and vanished.

"Helios!"

* * *

 

"They're getting too close for comfort," Ryou said, taking a seat on one of the unearthed but dilapidated stone walls.

"Yes," Marik said, leaning back on the wall next to the Scribe watching the archaeologists struggle with the sand and dirt. "I'll give him this, Carter Hall pushes his people hard."

"How close are they?"

Marik did not answer right away, choosing instead to cross his arms and glare at the workers. After a moment, he dropped his eyes and heaved a sigh. "At this rate, they'll unearth the door in by tonight," he said soberly. "Ishizu and I have done what we can but..." He shrugged. "The powers that be have decided the unearthing of the tomb is worth more politically and financially than our words, especially since the diggers have begun to find solid proof of its existence."

"I was afraid of that," Ryou murmured, shoulders drooping. "What do we do? Nothing has been working."

Marik pressed his lips into a hard line as he watched the workers milling about the dig site. "You and Bakura keep misplacing things, that at least drives the tension level up which makes people act rashly. That can be useful. But other than that," he trailed off with a helpless shrug. "My clan has been casting spells of concealment and protection as best we can without actively killing anyone."

"Except for the person injured in the cave in, they've officially lost seven workers to illness within the past couple days," Ryou said. "But unofficially, another five more have been reporting headaches and stomachaches. They've been declared results of overheating and dehydration. Nothing else has happened."

"Our power has faded overtime due to our complacency," the Priest admitted reluctantly. "We are still formidable, but nowhere near as much as we were." He shook his head. "And still no word from the Pharaoh."

Ryou hung his head. "So we're failing."

"Not yet we aren't," Bakura said, boldly appeared between Ryou and Marik. "Rumors the tomb is haunted have filled the camp. Even people who don't believe in them are talking about them. Perhaps it's about time we start taking things more seriously."

"Are you implying we haven't been?" Marik growled.

"Yes," Bakura answer simply earning him a glare from the young Ishtar. "We haven't substantiated these rumors. We've simply been spreading them. How about we start summoning ghosts and a Monster or two."

"Bakura!" Ryou said. "We can't kill anyone."

"We don't have to," the Thief said. "But if people start seeing things, then they might start seriously second guessing their actions." His red eyes narrowed. "At the very least Mr. Hall will see the threat involved. It's either that or we stop working from the Shadows and start actively attacking them in a full on frontal assault."

"Let's hope that doesn't happen," a new voice said.

The group turned to see Ishizu staring out over the dig site with serious eyes and one hand idly fiddling with her collar bone where the Millennium Tauk used to rest. She heaved a sigh before speaking once more.

"I have been unable to contact the Regent but Jounouchi called," she said. "The King has been shot."

"What?!"

The Priestess was suddenly assaulted by demands from all three youths which she staunchly ignored. Instead, she crossed her arms across her breast, and watched them with a lifted eyebrow waiting for them to fall silent so she could continue. When silence finally fell, only then dis she speak.

"The Pharaoh's description of the King's shooter matches the Manhunter's description of the Regent's attacker," she said. "We still don't know the identity of the bomber, but the Justice League is taking care of that side of events currently. Yugi is expected to be fine," she said gently. "Once he's strong enough, he plans to heal himself with Jounouchi's help."

"I'm sure the Pharaoh's not taking this too well," Marik said darkly.

"Considering the circumstances I'm surprised he hasn't lashed out yet," Bakura said in agreement. "Although that does explain the sudden panic we felt from him. I take it he's not strong enough to hold Court yet?"

Ishizu shook her head. "He was able to but only with the Regent."

"They can hold Court across realities?" Ryou gasped.

"Apparently so," the Priestess said. "It is a stroke of luck."

"Ra knows we need that," Ryou murmured leaning back on his hands.

They stood silently watching the people toil away at the sandy hoping to find the tomb. Ever since the museum in Cairo attempted to halt the dig the English museum's representative had arrived and offered not only financial backing the group desperately needed but more man power as well. It galled Ryou that the representative was his father. The fact the man had not once spoken to his son since his arrival even though Ryou had been in plain sight hurt. Even after all these years of living with an absentee parent, it still hurt not to be acknowledged.

A hand squeezed his knee and Ryou looked up to see Bakura gazing at him significantly. The Scribe felt his lips quirk upward in a hesitant smile before lips covered them and gave them something else to do.

_:You're an idiot.:_

Ryou chuckled. That was so typical of Bakura. His words insulted but his emotions currently flooding Ryou's senses and his actions currently distracting the Scribe spoke much louder.

"When you two are done," Marik said, "I think it's high time we decide what we're going to do from here." The Priest crossed his arms and shared a look with his sister. "Without Shaadi we can't go to the Pharaoh and he can't get here quickly. Even if the King manages to heal within the hour it would still take hours for them to get here by plane. We need to hold these idiots back for another day at least."

"That may not be possible," Ishizu said softly.

Marik turned to her and stiffened. "Ishizu? Sister?"

Bakura and Ryou ceased they movements and followed their comrade's gaze to the Priestess. She stood still, unmoving. Her dark eyes stared directly ahead, the pupils blown wide almost obliterating the irises as a thin film of smokey white swirled over them.

"What's going on?" Bakura demanded, reaching out to grab her shoulder.

"Don't!" Marik said catching Bakura's hand stopping him from touching her. "She's having a vision. You could be affected if you touch her. It's happened to me a time or two and believe me when I say it's never pleasant. Just wait it out."

Thankfully, they did not have long to wait. After a minute or so, Ishizu blinked and the film over her eyes vanished. She heaved a sigh and placed a hand delicately on her temple to stave off a headache. She flicked her eyes on her close audience of three briefly before dismissing them.

"Sister," Marik said gently drawing her gaze to him. "What did you see?"

Ishizu said nothing, she simply looked away and stared straight at the archaeologists. Marik narrowed his eyes but followed her gaze as did Bakura and Ryou. There was a deep rumble before rocks, sand, and dirt fell away revealing what could only be a dilapidated staircase leading to the entrance of the tomb. A cheer spread through the crowd unfelt by the four observers.

"They found it," she said.

"It would appear so," Marik said after a moment. "What's the plan?"

"This is too much too soon," Ryou said. "The Regent is still gone and now with the King and Pharaoh disabled..."

"Perhaps a visit from an old lover could slow things down a bit," Bakura said.

"Old lover?" Marik asked in confused suspicion.

"Yes. Carter Hall is the reincarnation of the false godking Katar Hol," Bakura said. "Perhaps it's time Shayera payed him a visit."

"I will attempt to speak with the Inner Court," Ishizu said. "If possible, I'll convince them to hold a full Court to discuss our options."

"And if that doesn't work?" Marik asked.

"We could discuss this with Mr. Hall in person," Marik said. "Fat lot of good that did last time though."

Ryou heaved a sigh. "We may have to reveal ourselves," he said. The others stared at him in shock but he shook his head. "I don't like it either, but it's likely that may be our only choice."

"Let's leave that as a last resort," Bakura said, turning back to the celebrations. "In the meantime, I think I'll stop being nice and start taking things more seriously. A Monster or two after dark should give at least a few of those assholes pause."

"Indeed," Marik agreed with a sly grin. "Thankfully, they still have to get past the gate and inner chambers before reaching Set's final resting place." He hesitated and snorted. "I say 'final,'" he added sarcastically.

He glanced back at his sister who had yet to make a move and noticed the sadness in her eyes. He reached out a took her hand startling her. She met his eyes briefly before dropping them. "I will try to call the King," she said and turned away, walking through the sand and dirt back to her designated tent.

Marik watched her leave with trepidation. He could not remember the last time he saw his sister, Ishizu Ishtar, the Priestess of the Balance, cry.


	23. Hunts, Moons, Despair, and Hope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the Wild Hunt begins, two Moons commune, and the Priestess brings bad news but also hope.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** I'm using the appearane of Tsukuyomi from the anime _Kamigami no Asobi_ , specifically his god form. You can Google Images him to see what he looks like if you want. Again, I'm just using his character and appearance because I want keep OCs to a minimum. This is **NOT** a crossover with _Kamigami no Asobi_! That aside, enjoy.

Howls echoed through the crystal clear night followed by the sound of whistles, horns, cheers, and the ghostly trot of hooves and tramp of feet. Hounds of immense size and strength bounded across the countryside at speeds that would be unreachable by typical human means but were easily matched by the light feet of the Fae and their steeds.

At the head of the cluster of wild, excited Fae were two figures. One in dark blues and black with a single, gold filagreed red scarf tossed carelessly around his shoulders. Hair whiter than snow streamed behind the being and red eyes gleamed with an unearthly glow in the light of the Harvest Moon. A coronet of holly and bright red berries graced his brow. The other figure had earth brown hair and bright green eyes that glowed like emeralds in the night. He wore cream and green with a long crimson cape trimmed with golden thread flapping in the wind behind him. Twisted bows of oak hugged his temples in the wind.

Directly behind these two great figures were hordes of Fae, spirits, sprites, and denizens of the Otherworld as well as two who were not of this pantheon but who were under their protection. Selene's dyed golden hair hung free from its bindings, flowing behind her like golden silk as she rode her snow white mare. Endymion, ever by her side, rode a stallion of pitch black the same shade as his hair which continuously brushed his forehead above his blue eyes.

Far ahead, he could see the prize of the Wild Hunt, a pure white stag with majestic antlers that should have been too heavy for the great beast to bear. Yet the creature bounded spritely across the land, avoiding all efforts to catch it ensuring the Hunt would continue. Despite his efforts to remain focused on the mission, Endymion found it hard to resist the excitement and wild emotions which flooded him from the other members of the Hunt.

It had been Arawn's idea to use the Wild Hunt as the perfect cover for their secret mission to reach the Japanese pantheon. Pwyll had agreed with the idea, acknowledging its merits as the perfect cover. But he had also warned the mortal turned immortal of the intoxicating effects the Hunt had on any and all who witnessed or participated in it. That warning was perhaps the only thing preventing Endymion from giving in and embracing the thrill of the Hunt. Selene was his reason for living and he would not give her up for a brief stint of a glorious game of cat and mouse, no matter how tempting it may be.

He and Selene managed to stay close to Arawn and Pwyll, following Arawn's Hounds of Annwn as they chased the White Stag. When Endymion had asked if any other pantheon would wonder why the Wild Hunt was journeying farther East than usual, Arawn had brushed it off reminding him that many pantheons participated in the Wild Hunt. It was the Fae's right to start it, but once it began, anyone and everyone was allowed to join, even humans if they could keep up. Most mortals, however, could not and died in the attempt. But that would never stop the Hunt from taking place. Besides, the Hunt had no fixed route or range, it followed the Stag wherever it went. If the Stag travelled farther East, than so would the Wild Hunt.

Sure enough, a wave of Norsemen arrived from the north and meshed with the ranks of Fae from Ireland and Great Britain adding to the enthusiasm and tantalizing adrenaline rush. A horn blasted behind them answered by an enthusiastic cry from Arawn who raised a fist in the air in greeting. A rider with a wide brimmed hat and long, gray beard charged past Endymion, Selene, and the rest of the host to ride between Arawn and Pwyll who separated to accommodate him. With the new rider came two huge dogs nowhere near the size of the Hounds of Annwn but formidable nonetheless.

It seemed like hardly any time had passed at all before Pwyll reined his steed in, falling back until he paced Endymion and the Greek Titaness. "Be prepared to break off," he called. "Odin will guide the Hunt from here with Arawn but we must separate if you wish to speak to the Tsukuyomi."

Endymion nodded, unable to speak over the rushing wind and raging emotions. Pwyll smiled sympathetically at him before glancing over to Selene who met his eyes calmly. "One of Arawn's Hounds will come with us so when we are ready to return, we can join the Hunt once more," he said. "The time approaches. Be ready my friends!"

What felt like a minute passed then Pwyll jerked his reins and leapt out of the hoard of undulating emotions. Endymion and Selene followed his lead, slowing down as they did so. A Hound stood waiting for them, tail swishing back and forth as Pwyll turned back to them. The Oak King nodded and turned away towards the ocean just beyond. Selene and Endymion followed Pwyll's lead who deferred to the Hound.

They reached a stretch of water which Endymion recognized from maps as the Sea of Japan. He opened his mouth to ask how they would cross but Pwyll did not stop, neither did the Hound. They continued racing forward until hooves and paws touched water and continued on. Stunned, Endymion remained silent and allowed his Fae steed to do the same. He turned to Selene who appeared intrigued but not necessarily surprised.

The moment they set foot on the land of Japan, Endymion felt the atmosphere change. Pwyll slowed and Endymion's and Selene's steeds followed suit. The Hound sniffed the air and whined once before lowering his head and snarling, its hackles raised in warning.

"Seldom does the Wild Hunt travel so far East, King of the Seelie," a voice called, its accent lilting almost like the warbling of a bird. "Leave. You are not welcome here."

"I come bearing news I think you should hear," Pwyll replied. "I mean neither harm nor disrespect but the words of my companion must be heard."

"And why should we listen to a Westerner?"

"Because her words involve the endangerment of one who is under your protection," Pwyll replied.

The silence that followed was heavy. Several minutes passed before the voice returned. "With whom do you wish to speak Westerner?"

"I wish to speak to the Tsukuyomi," Selene said, urging her steed forward so she sat abreast with the Oak King. "I am Selene, the Titan and goddess of the moon in the Greek pantheon."

"And what words could you possibly have that could interest one as exalted as the Tsukuyomi no Mikoto?" the disembodied voice demanded.

"I will not speak to anyone save the Tsukuyomi," Selene announced boldly. "I am of the same element as he and demand the respect as such. We will neither leave nor continue speaking until he arrives."

Silence fell once more, this time longer than the last. Then, "You request has been heard."

A beam of pure, silver light extended from the full supermoon far above revealing steps which lead up a steep incline to a bright red, ornate torii gate that was beautiful against the backdrop of the full moon. Thin cirrus clouds floated far above and beyond the gate.

"Greek of the Moon," the voice said, "dismount and ascend to speak with the Tsukuyomi. The others must remain behind."

"But-" Endymion fell abruptly silent at Selene's raised hand.

"Understood," the Titaness said. She bowed deeply over the saddle of her mare. "Your kindness is much appreciated."

She swept a leg over the horse's back and stepped down to the soft ground below. She turned to Endymion and brushed his knee gently with her hand and offered him a loving smile. "I will return," she said softly. "Wait for me."

Pwyll remained calm, nodding to the Titaness respectfully. The Hound simply lay down and rested its massive head on its forepaws to wait. Those left behind watched Selene climb the stairs. When she passed through the torii gate, the moonlit path vanished leaving the three in darkness and silence.

* * *

Selene refused to allow herself to look back over her shoulder, knowing that doing so would probably lead to less than welcome results. Instead, she kept her eyes steadfastly forward and thus she beheld the palace of the moon. Clear, still water surrounded the place, reflecting the sky above and the land below. Stones spread out at even distances led directly to the palace. Selene removed her shoes, gently lifted her dress, and boldly stepped out onto the stones with her bare feet.

Her dress trailed through the water behind her, disturbing the smooth, mirror-like surface, but she paid it no mind. When she arrived, she stepped up the three wooden steps to the terrace which wrapped around the palace. The entrance before her had no door; it was simply an opening in the wall. She placed her hands one on top of the other over her plump stomach and bowed low at the waist.

"If I may," she said.

For a moment, nothing happened. Then a soft, masculine voice answered from ahead of her, "Come."

Straightening, Selene strode into the palace, following the direction from which the voice had come. There were several rooms on either side of the hallways she walked through, but she knew they were empty. She moved forward towards the back entrance of the palace which also had no door, opening out onto a garden of delicately manicured plants on islands dotting mirror smooth water. A small pagoda glowed with a soft, golden flame illuminating a small pool nearby.

Crouched by the pagoda was what appeared to be a young man. His pale, faintly violet hair was cut short around his face but hung to his shoulders once it past his ears. The only exception were two, thick strands of stark white which tumbled from his head past his temples to drape heedlessly into the water over which he leaned. He wore pure white robes underneath a thick, elegant but simple kimono. His skin was pale as moonlight but bore the faintest flush of life. When he lifted his head, Selene felt her heart ache, for his eyes were the same shade of gold as her brother's.

"Selene," he said, his voice soft and serene as the place in which he dwelt. "Welcome. Come," he said, gesturing to the grass beside him, "sit with me."

Selene obediently approached the god and sat next to him. "Tsukuyomi," she said to which he nodded.

"I understand you have news for me," he said. "I mean no disrespect, but I suggest you deliver it quickly for my people are not fond of outsiders. Should my sister Amaterasu intrude upon us, things could," he hummed thoughtfully, "not go well."

The Titaness nodded. "You have under your protection one Seto Kaiba," she said, heeding Tsukuyomi's advice and coming straight to the point.

The Japanese god nodded slowly. "We do," he replied. "We also understand he is the Egyptian god Set reborn."

"He is," Selene said. "You are aware of the attack on Kaiba a year ago by Ares, the Olympian god of war," she said.

Again, Tsukuyomi nodded but this time there was glint of ice in his golden eyes. "We are." He looked away, back to the waters of his garden. "But it was not an attack on him as much as it was an attack on his pantheon," he said. "Thus we did not intervene."

Selene sat up and narrowed her eyes. "I am here to inform you that it was an attack on Kaiba specifically and not the pantheon of which he is a part."

Golden eyes darted to Selene's cold silver sharply, studying her closely, seeking any sign of deception. "Why do you say such?"

"Because it has happened again," she said.

Tsukuyomi started, his back going ramrod straight and his eyes wide in shock. "When was this?" he demanded.

"The bomb planted on the balcony on which he and his brother stood was planted by Ares," Selene said. "Also," she added quickly before Tsukuyomi could speak, "when he attacked Kaiba a year ago, he possessed him, driving him into a berserker state from which he could not escape. Had his fellow pantheon not acted in his defense, it could have resulted in his death."

Golden eyes gazed into her silver coolly, deliberating in silence for a full minute before looking away. "If what you say is true," his eyes glanced back at the Titaness, "then your pantheon has intruded on ours which could be seen as an act of war. You are aware of this and yet you tell me anyway. Why?"

Selene sat back and looked away, gazing out over the gardens of the lunar palace. "I and my brother have fled Olympus. Helios, my brother, is the Greek Titan and god of the sun. Long ago, when Set still walked the earth under the reign of  the Dark Ones, the gods of the old Egyptian pantheon, Helios had a worshipper who fell in love with the Lord of Storms." She sighed. "Although Helios never met Set directly, he learned much about him through the prayers of his worshipper who remained loyal to him despite falling in love with Set and eventually being lost to Set's pantheon. Helios never informed Zeus of this because it was not something he needed to know."

She turned back to Tsukuyomi, meeting his steady gaze unwaveringly. "However, that changed last year. Zeus decided the information Helios was privy to was reason enough to have him captured and possibly tortured into revealing what he knew. I rode my chariot out and warned my brother of this plot and we both fled. We did not tell each other where we were hiding to protect us and those we cared about. Although I have no doubt Helios has been hiding with Set and his pantheon."

Tsukuyomi nodded. "He has been," he replied. "Since he was under the protection of the Egyptian pantheon, we did not interfere."

"Something has happened to him," Selene said. "I know not what, but the sun has been-"

"Acting strangely, yes," Tsukuyomi said seriously. "Amaterasu has been worried about that of late. You say it is attributed to your brother?"

"I believe it is," Selene said. "If he has been captured as I fear may be the case, then he was taken from the protection of Set who now goes by Seto Kaiba."

"That does not involve our pantheon," Tsukuyomi said slowly. "However, the attacks on Kaiba as a citizen of Japan and thus under our protection from the year before and a few days ago will not be dismissed easily." He considered a moment more. "I will inform Amaterasu of this to discuss what actions should be taken. I take it the Westerner wearing the band of oaken branches is your ally?"

Selene nodded. "He is, as is his pantheon as represented by the Hound of Annwn. The other man is my husband Endymion and father to my unborn child."

Tsukuyomi's eyes widened and dropped to Selene's stomach which had been cleverly concealed by the folds of her dress due to the position in which she sat. "You are with child?" he gasped. His eyes lifted to her's once more, this time filled with hope and surprised respect. "You have allowed yourself to become pregnant despite the dangers?"

"I have," Selene said, placing a hand over her swollen belly. "No longer will I allow myself or those I care for to be controlled and bullied. Other than myself and my child, Helios is the only Titan left in existence who has not lost his sanity."

Tsukuyomi blinked his wide eyes, absorbing the information. "I see," he said. "You have my respect, Titaness," he said, bowing his head. "Your courage and honor will not be overlooked, you have my word. Return to your friends and know you have my support. And hopefully, should my reasoning be successful, the support of my sister and our entire pantheon as well."

"You have my thanks and support as well as that of both the Seelie and Unseelie Fae Courts," Selene said standing.

"Both Courts," Tsukuyomi murmured. "Truly a feat to be praised." He bowed his head to her once more. "Farewell, Lady of the Moon."

Without another word, Selene turned and left.

* * *

"It's about time you summoned us to Court you nicompoop of a Pharaoh!"

Crimson eyes blinked, taken aback by the unexpected insult. The almost identical form next to him chuckled light heartedly. "That's a word I've never heard you use before, Marik," Yugi said with a smile.

Marik propped his hands on his hips and humphed. "Well I wouldn't have had to use it if his Great Now-Named Darkness had had the courtesy to inform us you'd been shot."

"It wasn't exactly urgent at the time," Yami said hurriedly. "The priority was making sure Yugi was alright."

"We know, Pharaoh," Ryou said. "Marik was just worried."

"The hell I was," Marik grumbled.

"So was Bakura," Ryou added with a grin.

"Fuck me sideways, I was most definitely _not_ worried," the former tomb robber snapped. Ryou just smiled and waved the spirit back.

"Sorry bro," Jounouchi chirped, giving Bakura a thumbs up. "Ya've been sold out."

He promptly burst into loud cackles, quickly joined by Honda's belly laughter and Anzu's polite snickers. Even the Pharaoh joined in with Yugi's soft chuckles.

"It's nice to know you care," Yami said. He turned to Ishizu who was stood silently to one side, eyes downcast and not at all happy. Yami's amusement faded away to worry. "Ishizu," he said. "Is something wrong?"

The Priestess lifted her head and gazed at both Yami and Yugi with steady blue eyes. "First," she said, "I must know, have you recovered from your wound?"

"Yeah!" Jounouchi crowed proudly. "Yer's truly used some kickass magic and _boom!_ Good as new!"

Ishizu did not laugh or even smile at the blonde's antics. Instead, she asked, "Is it true?"

"It is, Ishizu," Yugi replied. "I'm fine now. Though," he winced, "I'm not sure how I'm going to tell my mom or Grandpa about my 'miraculous' recovery. Or the nurses, come to think of it."

"That might be the least of your worries, my King," Ishizu said. "I want you to see what I have seen. I need you to help me make sure it does not happen."

"See..." Anzu whispered.

"You mean you've had a vision?" Honda gasped. "Don't tell me, it's another end-of-the-world scenario and we're the only ones who can fix it," he groaned.

"If allowed to continue, it could lead to destruction to our Court, the Shadow Realm, and our world as well as many others," the Priestess said. "Please, my King, my Pharaoh," she pleaded formally, "I beg you. Let me show you, all of you."

Yugi and Yami glanced at each other before nodding and returning their gazes to their Regent's Priestess. "We're ready."

"Then please relax," Ishizu said, lifting her arms to cup the area above her clavicle where the Millennium Tauk appeared, glowing. The glow enveloped the group, blinding them temporarily before dimming.

* * *

_Pain. Despair. Hopelessness._

_"Mokuba!"_

_Kaiba ran towards his brother who stood blinking in confusion and fear in the midst of destruction and debris. There was something wrong with him._

_A person stood astride a white vehicle that resembled an elongated motorcycle. He had long blonde hair and wore a white mask. His clothes were outlandish and armored strangely. He lifted a device tucked at his left side, propped it against his shoulder, aimed, and fired._

_There was no time to scream a warning. No time to react. No time._

_There was only the loud cough of the rifle and the sickening squelch as a bullet penetrated Mokuba's skull directly in front of Seto. The bullet, knocked aside from its original trajectory veered slightly and struck the older Kaiba brother in the gut. But not before Kaiba screamed in desperation, echoed by the familiar roar of a white dragon._

_The Blue Eyes White Dragon burst into life from Kaiba's heart and Deck and released a brilliant blast directly at the shooter. The blast struck true, blowing him back. But before she could attack again the shooter held up a blank card from which chains lashed out, entangling the struggling dragon and dragging her into its depths._

_A cry fled Kaiba's throat that was both furious and heart wrenching as his beloved dragon was ripped from her cards in his Deck, gone forever just like his precious little brother. Everything he believed in, everything he loved, everything he built his life around, his very **existence** , was suddenly gone._

_The Regent collapsed to his knees, blood spilling from the wound in his stomach. His blue eyes now dim and lifeless stared down at the crumbled figure of Mokuba in shock, unable to believe what he was seeing. He reached out a shaking hand and touched the tousled black hair, pulled it back, and saw the blood._

_When he screamed, it was not as Kaiba Seto or as Seth; it was as Set reborn in all his chaotic glory. Storms raged, the sun was blotted out by an eclipse that could not be explained, confusion reigned in all worlds as the Shadows held in his carefully controlled Balance were now free to wreck havoc at their leisure._

_He no longer cared. Set no longer cared about anything. He had nothing, no reason the defend, no reason to live, no reason to go on, no reason the exist._

_But he did._

_The cry stopped, replaced by pitiable weeping as Set fell forward over his beloved little brother's body. The chaos was strictly pulled back under his command with a viciously tight control only he could ever master._

_Set now stood silently watching the pallbearers lower the casket that was much too small down into the earth where it should not be. It was sunny, birds sang, and waves crashed in the distance. Life went on._

_Seto Kaiba, now lost as Set reborn, remained unmoving before the grave that was now covered with dirt. Candles long guttered and burnt out sat on the pedestal of the marble gravestone inscribed with Mokuba's precious name. A vine had begun growing around the gravestone, tenderly cared for by Set. Small white buds remained closed to the sun's light opened only at night._

_Dragons attacked their world, Kisara one of them. But there was nothing he could do. He could not stop her. So he destroyed her, destroying what was left of his heart in the process._

_Rain fell as Set stood before the grave. It was well. The sealed envelope in his jacket pocket was a duplicate of the one he had submitted to his lawyers earlier that day. Everything was taken care of. He was no longer needed, no longer wanted. Obelisk's card was sitting neatly on Mutou Sugoroku's desk in the Kame Game shop waiting to be found by Yugi and Yami. He knew they would fight this decision which is why he did not discuss it with them._

_He wanted nothing. He had nothing. He needed to be nothing._

_Mokuba._

_He knelt on the mud and grass covered ground of Mokuba's grave when he lost all feeling in his legs. He forced his heavy hands to pull out the locket he still never removed. Clasping it tightly in his hands, he closed his eyes and leaned forward so his wet forehead rested on the pedestal of the dripping gravestone. He shifted so he lay across the grave, curled in a loose fetal position, clutching the card locket close to his face._

_Tears he long ago stopped shedding burned his eyes once again. He clicked open the spring lock and gazed adoringly at Mokuba's young face staring back at him through the photograph. The childish crayon drawing of the Blue Eyes White Dragon was delicately folded on the opposite side of the locket._

_"Soon," he whispered, smiling brokenly at the precious faces._

_He pulled the locket close, let his eyelids drift shut, and waited, fully aware and not caring in the least. Slowly but surely he lost all feeling in his arms, then inching up his chest. He felt the Shadows frantically reach out to him, begging him, pleading with him to **live!**_

_Yugi's and Yami's Shadows as well as Ishizu's, Shaadi's, Mai's, and even, surprisingly, Oliver's Shadows reached out to him. He did not fight back, but neither did he answer them. They were too late. He did not care. He was so close. He would see Mokuba again._

_Obelisk's cry of anguish bit into his soul. He tried to reach out with his Shadows, caressing the god who adored him in a weak apology. Then he could no longer breathe and that was it._

_Peace._

* * *

No one spoke. Hardly anyone breathed. It hurt too much. A soft sob echoed loudly in the heavy silence.

"What?" the Pharaoh breathed, horrified by the sights, sounds, and emotions that were and were not his began to slowly fade away.

"That is what will happen if we do not do something to stop it," Ishizu said, her voice quiet and firm, even as her eyes watered. "We must stop this."

"Mokuba," Anzu breathed, covering her mouth with her hands as she tried to hold back her sobs.

"That bastard stole Blue Eyes!" Jounouchi fumed. "Just like 'e stole ma Red Eyes. Like hell I'm gonna let 'im get away wi' dat."

"Not just stole, Jounouchi," Honda growled. "Used to attack Earth."

"Several Earths from the look of it," Bakura hissed. "I want his heart on a platter."

"Get in line, Thief," Marik snarled.

"Who knows how many other dragons this guy's stolen over the years or however long he's been on the loose," Ryou said. "What if other Shadow users have had their dragons stolen? Some of the dragons I saw attacking Earth were like none I've ever seen before."

"Yes," Yami said. "I think it's safe to assume this assassin has stolen dragons from many worlds."

"Why dragons?" Jounouchi asked.

"Throughout human history, dragons have been shown as creatures of power," Honda said seriously. "Good or bad they were always powerful."

"Point," Jounouchi said.

"Besides," Anzu said, curling her hands into tight fists to control herself as anger surged within her, "dragons can fly. That means they can attack from above as well as below."

"Anzu's right," Yugi said. "But that still leaves what this assassin wants. He steals dragons, attacks Earth, tries to kill me and Kaiba, kills Mokuba in that...that..." He gulped. "Vision. But why?"

"I do not know," Ishizu answered grimly. "Which brings to mind something else."

"Not more doom an' gloom," Jounouchi moaned.

"Set's tomb has been uncovered," she said.

"What?!" the others exclaimed.

"It's true," Marik said. "We all saw it."

"On the bright side," Ryou said, "they only found the door. They still have to break the seal, open the doors, get past the Spells and Traps inside, and then get into the actual burial chamber before they can get to Set's sarcophagus."

"Yes," Bakura said. "And I've decided no more playing fair. Marik and I are going to start using real Monsters to cause some much needed chaos," he smirked. "While sweet little Ryou here," he said, wrapping an arm around his reincarnation, "will cause trouble and dissension within the ranks."

"We may need to reveal ourselves to do so," Ishizu said. "If the need arrises, do we have your permission to reveal our existence?"

"You mean come out 'a da closet?!" Jounouchi gasped. "Geez! Ya know what ma parents would do ta me? I'd be grounded fa'ever."

"If necessary," Yugi said seriously, "do it. We'll back you. I'll call the Justice League and let them know. Maybe they can help with the damage control."

"That reminds me," Honda said, speaking up. "I got a call from Anzu earlier today. Apparently the bomb was planted by Ares."

"Ares?" Marik gasped.

"Yeah," Anzu said. "I told Honda I talked to Amelda and Raphael. They said Wonder Woman is fairly certain it was Ares. They also said the League's sending Shayera to the dig site."

"What? Why?" Bakura exclaimed.

"Because they think she might be able to distract Carter Hall," Anzu said with a cheeky grin. "If you want to distract a man, send a woman," she added waving her finger in a mock scolding manner.

"Good," Ryou said. "The extra help would be much appreciated."

"I assume this means we have the backing of the League in case anything else happens?" Marik asked.

"I'm guessing so," Honda said.

"Good."

"One last thing," Yugi said. He glanced at Yami who listened to his other half's thoughts before nodding. "Kaiba had another attack. That's why we called Court so fast."

Ishizu nodded amid the other's shock. "I am aware," she said. "I felt it. It happened about the same time as the tomb's entrance was uncovered. It was..." She grimaced. "More severe than those he's had to date. I think the unsealing might be affecting him as well as Seth in ways we did not originally anticipate."

"I agree," Yami said. "That's why aibou and I have decided to do something about this."

"Woah, what?" Honda gasped. "And exactly how do you plan to do that glued to the hospital bed?" he demanded, crossing his arms across his chest and glaring at them. "We almost lost you two just now. You really think we're going to let you out of our sight?"

"Yeah!" Anzu said. "I'll quit and come right back to Japan to beat some sense into you if I have to."

"We have to," Yugi said firmly, cutting off his friends' words. He turned to his Light Triad and smiled. "I'm glad you're worried about us, but this is bigger than a single bullet." He turned back to Ishizu and sighed. "We have to find Pegasus."

"That freak?!" Jounouchi demanded. "Why?"

"Because he can make Duel Monster cards," Yugi said. "We need more cards, Jounouchi. Plus, Pegasus is powerful even without the Millennium Eye. Maybe there's a version of him somewhere who survived Bakura taking the Eye from him and who is at least neutral to us if not an ally."

"I find that a bit hard to believe," Bakura said. "His soul had become so entangled with the Eye that he would have died without it even if I hadn't forcefully taken it."

"In this world, yes," Yami said. "But what about in another world?"

"You actually think that's possible?" Ryou asked.

"Ten bucks says it ain't," Jounouchi said.

"I'll take that bet."

The group turned to Ishizu in surprise. Her eyes sparkled with the faintest hope. "I believe in you, my Pharaoh, my King. I also believe in my Regent. I ask that if you do find a Pegasus who is willing to help, you do me a favor and ask him to make a card for Kisara as well."

"Kisara?" Yugi repeated.

"But she already has a card," Anzu said.

"Yeah," Honda agreed. "The Blue Eyes White Dragon."

Ishizu shook her head. "That is the card version of the stone tablet her Ka was sealed in by Akhenadin after he killed her," she said. "I want you to ask Pegasus to create a card in Kisara's image as she was when she was still human." She smiled slyly. "A card that should compliment the Regent's Kaibaman cards nicely, I should think."

"That..." Yami breathed.

"Might work," Yugi said, violet eyes wide in astonishment. "If Kaiba can make the Kaibaman cards-"

"Then Pegasus may be able to make cards for Kisara," Yami finished.

"Wait, wait, wait," Jounouchi said, waving his hands around. "You tellin' me there're ca'ds out the' that're called 'Kaibaman?'"

Yugi chuckled. "It was an experiment that worked," he said, looking back at his friend. "Kaiba wanted to know if he could create Duel Monsters cards and made 'Kaibaman' as the test. He only made two of the cards and they only work in his Deck."

"Wha? That's not fair! Why wou' they only work 'n 'is Deck?" the blonde Knight demanded in frustration.

"Because it's used to summon a Blue Eyes White Dragon," Yami replied. "And only Kaiba has those cards."

Jounouchi huffed and complained loudly forcing Honda and Anzu to try to calm him down.

"We'll do our best, Ishizu," Yugi said. "We plan on leaving in a couple hours. We're going to inform the Justice League first if we can." He stiffened as did Honda and Jounouchi.

"Actually," the Pharaoh said, "it seems we may not need to. I believe the Manhunter is already here."

"Here?" the Priestess asked.

"At the hospital," Yami clarified. He grinned. "We'll be leaving now. Again, we promise to do our best to fulfill your wish." His eyes narrowed. "And we _will_ stop your vision from coming to pass."

"Definitely," Anzu said.

Ishizu smiled in relief. "Thank you," she said.

She watched as the Court disappeared from around her and she was back in her tent.

"Ishizu."

She lifted her gaze to Rishid who stood loyally nearby watching her curiously. She smiled. "Don't worry," she said. "Go back to Marik. He'll need your help."

Rishid bowed his head and hurried out to his brother leaving the Priestess sitting in her tent much more relaxed than before. She had faith in her Regent, her Pharaoh, and her King. They would get out of this yet.


	24. Forceful Opinions and Omens

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Kaiba is keeping secrets and taking charge, something which does and does not sit well with the group.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** Sorry for the delay. My granddaddy diedlast Sunday and I've been dealing with the aftermath of that plus work, school, hw, and a project I've been working on wit my prof and presenting at a conference tomorrow. -_-; That said, I hope this is satisfactory. Enjoy and goodnight.

He was disoriented and, though he was loath to admit it, terrified. It felt like someone or something was trying to rip his soul from his body. Kisara's shadowy body currently wrapped around his own helped ground him and Seth's soul clinging to him helped hold him firmly in place. He clung to Seth as tightly as he could while Kisara's heat embraced both half souls.

Was this what the Pharaoh had felt when Yugi's soul had been ripped from him by the Seal of Orichalcos? Dear Ra above. No wonder he been so broken up and lashed out so viciously at Weevil when the idiot tricked Yami into thinking Yugi was dead. Seto dug his nails into Seth's back, holding him close while the Shadows whirled around them like coiled ropes, tying them in place. If whatever the yanking force was managed to take him or Seth, whoever would be left behind would destroy the source with the same viciousness the Pharaoh had.

A hand touched his shoulder and he lashed out with his Shadows before he had the chance to recognize the hand's owner. But to his surprise, the Shadows that were and were not his stopped the attack and dragged the whole group through the darkness. The Shadows were initiating a Travel on their own? How? Why? Since when could they do that?

Then the darkness was gone, replaced by blinding light and deafening noise. Seto squeezed his eyes shut and buried his head in Seth's neck trying to block out the overstimulation. Hands grabbed him, shook him, and tried to separate him from Seth. He would not be separated from his Ba!

"Kaiba!"

_Kohai?_

Seto opened his eyes and lifted his head quickly, immediately regretting it when dizziness blurred his vision and he felt heavy and tingly from disorientation and lightheadedness. It felt like he was experiencing everything from outside his body, observing from somewhere else. He closed his eyes and felt his body go limp, his skin tingling from the attack and his muscles twitching from holding on to Seth so tightly.

"Kaiba! Come on, wake up!"

Damn it, he _was_ awake.

"Open your eyes, hon."

Mai? Why...? How did she get here so fast?

"Alright, alright, hold on." Lantern. "Back up. Give them some room to breathe." Them? "Arrow, keep those crowds back. Shaadi, see if you can find a place to hide out for a while. Mai, give me a hand here."

Lantern certainly knew how to take control, Kaiba thought absently.

"EMTs comin' over," Arrow called.

"We can't let them take him," Mai said quickly, her voice sounding like she was to Kaiba's right. Sounded? Why could he not feel her?

"I understand that, but if he's seriously injured, he may need the kind of help a hospital can give," Lantern argued.

"No," Kaiba groaned, forcing his eyes to open to blurred sight. "No hospitals."

"Kaiba," Lantern said, sounding relieved. "Stay awake. I need you to keep your eyes open and keep talking. Can you do that?"

Kaiba cursed and felt his head fall back, heavy and fuzzy as if it was filled with clouds. "Seth..."

"You haven't let go of him since you got here," Lantern said.

 _Haven't let go...?_ Kaiba opened his bleary eyes and stared in the general direction of the warm weight he felt pressing against him and was greeted by the sight of tan skin, closed eyes, and long brown hair just a shade or so darker than Seth's skin.

Seth was still here. He had not been taken. Neither of them had. The feeling of foreboding was gone which meant the attack was over. They were safe for the time being. That meant they had to move. They were running short on time. Mokuba. He had to find Mokuba.

Forcing himself to loosen his hold on Seth, he struggled to sit up. A hand grasped his shoulder and helped pull him up so he could sit in an upright position. Seth stirred at the movement and loss of heat and weight. His eyes flew open and he snatched Kaiba's arm, ready to fight against another attack.

_:Seto!:_

_:It's over,:_ Kaiba said quickly. _:It's over. We need to leave.:_

_:Where?:_

Kaiba looked around, trying to get his bearings and realized Lantern was holding him steady and Mai was hovering over Seth debating whether or not to risk touching him. _:We have to find Mokuba,:_ he replied. _:He's my priority.:_

Seth narrowed his eyes. "As it is mine," he said aloud before vanishing back to Kaiba's soul _room. :But we will speak of this,:_ he added, his mental voice seething in anger. _:You will explain your actions. Do not think I will forget.:_

Kaiba harumphed and straightened. "We'll see," he muttered. He turned back to Lantern a nodded, indicating he could stand on his own. "We'll discuss this once we've gotten out of here."

"We'd better," Mai said. "You scared the shit out of us. What the hell kind of stunt was that?"

"Later," Kaiba snapped. "Iron Man knows we're here."

"There is an evacuated level of a building not far from here," Shaadi said. "It is damaged so it is unlikely that people will return there anytime soon."

"Good enough."

"Incoming!" Arrow called. The moment he noticed a familiar flash of red and gold streak around a corner.

Kaiba, Lantern, and Mai raced to Arrow's side and together they grabbed Shaadi's extended hand and they vanished. When they reappeared, it was in a drafty, heavily damaged room. The south wall and floor was completely gone, probably blown apart by those robotic dogs.

"This should be good for the time being," Arrow said, striding up to the edge and scanning the area. "We've got a good view of the south end from here. That should be Stark Tower," he said, pointing towards the distinct building with a stylized 'A' near the top level. "If the Avengers return, we should see them. Iron Man is anything but subtle."

"Indeed," Shaadi said, walking up to stand next to the archer.

"Hey," Lantern said, stepping up so he stood next to the vigilante who crouched down to get a better look at the ground far below. "Anyone notice something missing from this?"

"How so?" Shaadi asked, stepping up to join the metahuman. Mai joined him as did Kaiba as they looked around for something obviously missing.

Arrow took a good long look at the skyline and stiffened. "He's right," he gasped. "The Twin Towers. They're gone."

"The what now?" Mai asked.

"The World Trade Center Towers," Arrow clarified. "They're not there. They're supposed to be there. They're very distinct."

"I'm not sure I know what you're talking about," the Sorceress said in confusion.

"Shaadi and Kaiba I understand, but you Mai?" Lantern said in surprise.

Mai raised her hands in self defense. "Hey, I'm not a big city girl unless it's for the nightlife. Give me the open road or a duel arena and I'm at home, but this isn't really my thing. Besides, I've only been to New York once before."

"You never watched anything like _Oliver and Company, Sleepless in Seattle,_ or _Castle_?" Lantern asked.

"Yeah."

"Remember those two buildings that looked like carbon copies of each other near the tip of Manhattan Island?" Arrow asked. "They're tall and boxy, without a distinct top like the Chrysler Building or the Empire State."

"Yeah, kinda, now that I think about it."

The vigilante gestured towards where the two buildings should have been. "They should be right there." His hand dropped. "But they're not."

"Another difference between our worlds, I guess," Kaiba said.

"Perhaps," Shaadi said. "Hopefully for the best."

Mai hummed thoughtfully. "Let's hope." She clearing her throat and said sternly, "Now." The group turned to the Sorceress, surprised by her furious voice. "Care to tell the class what the _hell_ happened back there?" she all but yelled at Kaiba. She stomped right up to the Regent and stabbed his chest with a stiff index finger accusingly. "First you run off on your own, then you summon Blue Eyes, then you vanish. Something happened. Your Shadows changed. It felt like you were disappearing. Spill!"

"When you're done," Kaiba said calmly, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

"It was an attack," Seth said, startling Lantern by materializing next to hm. "It caught us off guard while we were in the middle of a parlay with the Avengers and Doctor Strange." He cast the superhero an apologetic look. "I apologize for startling you."

"Ah... No. It's fine," the man replied.

"Who now?" Mai asked.

"The guy who tried to keep us out of this world," Arrow said. "I could recognize him but I couldn't make out much of what was said from my vantage point. He's apparently an ally of the Avengers. To an extent, anyway."

"He's the Sorcerer Supreme of this Earth," Kaiba said, glaring at Seth who met it cooly without flinching. "It's his duty to protect this world from anyone and anything from other realities and dimensions."

"So basically, he's a god," Lantern said.

"If he were on our world, then he would be, yes," Seth said. "But I believe we can safely say gods in this world are nothing like those on our homeworld."

"Or the Shadow Realm," Shaadi said earning a nod from Seth.

"Interestingly enough," Kaba added thoughtfully, "he made it a point to say I was from a different dimension in front of the Avengers even though he is well aware we're all from another reality."

"So an ally of the Avengers but not necessarily a friend," Arrow said, his forehead creased in interest.

"Or perhaps an ally of the Avengers but not necessarily of SHIELD," Seth said, raising an eyebrow.

"Alright, other than Doctor Strange, who else did you meet?" Lantern asked.

"Only Iron Man, Captain America, and Falcon," Kaiba said.

"Iron Man is arrogant," Shaadi said simply, tucking his arms into his sleeves. "Although his technology is impressive. He reminds me of a certain young Regent before he began to master his Shadow powers."

"I'll overlook that comment since your one of mine," Kaiba said.

"He's an asshole," Arrow said, standing. "But he's a slightly amusing asshole. He was able to track us before we found Loki."

"Yes, Loki. You mentioned him," Mai said. "The mage who knew Sif and the bitch."

"Is that what we're calling her now?" Lantern asked.

"All in favor say 'aye,'" Mai said. A chorus of 'aye's' answered her and she shrugged. "Yes, that's what we're calling her now."

"I agree his technology is fascinating," Seth said, "but Stark as a person is..." He trailed away, struggling to find an appropriate word to describe the Avenger when Kaiba said something in hieratic that had Shaadi clearing his throat and looking away awkwardly. Seth just heaved a sigh, shoulders drooping and blushing. "I...yes," he said hesitantly. "That."

"I'm not going to ask," Lantern said. "What about this Captain America person?"

"Very much like your Superman," Kaiba said, "with the exception of him being human." He paused considering. "I say that, but he is so incredibly bright that I doubt he could ever use the Shadows even if he managed to get himself into a position to use them. I doubt even the King would accept him. My Shadows wouldn't go anywhere near him."

"That's...rare," Mai murmured.

"He is loyal to SHIELD, however," Kaiba said, "and seemed driven to bring me in to answer for my crimes."

"So a true law abiding citizen," Mai said. "That could be a good thing and a bad thing."

"It's annoying," Kaiba said.

"Then again, you could argue you're a law abiding citizen," Lantern said, crossing his arms. "You just follow the laws of your Court, not the laws of a specific country or nation like this Captain does. I could even argue the idea of you being a law enforcement officer."

"Don't."

"He's got a point," Arrow said, swallowing a chuckle when he noticed Kaiba's eyebrow twitch.

Lantern gave a small smile before returning to the subject. "And Falcon?"

"His wings are truly fascinating," Seth said. "A technological wonder."

"Mechanical wings?" Lantern asked. "Sounds cool."

"It is indeed," Seth agreed, nodding. "I believe I speak for both Seto and myself when I say we would not mind having a pair of our own."

"Kisara may argue she is our wings," Kaiba said, the faintest hint of a smile on his face.

"They're regrouping," Arrow called from his perch near the destroyed side of the room drawing the other's attention. "They're heading back to the tower."

"How many?" Kaiba demanded.

"I see Iron Man and Falcon, both are carrying someone, but it's too far to see who," Arrow replied.

Kaiba hummed thoughtfully. "We'll leave them for now. I gave them my reply. I won't go to them as a prisoner," he said, glacial blue eyes sharp as icicles. "We need to find Mokuba and I need to find out what by Ra caused that attack."

"What if they found your grave?" Arrow asked softly.

Kaiba did not reply immediately. Instead, he stared straight ahead at the Avengers Tower. "I hear the Avengers have an archer in their league," he said, speaking finally as he turned to the vigilante. "Perhaps you should have a talk with him, kohai."

"Friendly or no?"

"Preferably friendly," Kaiba said. "While you do that, I want Shaadi and Mai to look into this Doctor Strange."

"And me?" Lantern asked.

"You're with me," Kaiba said. "There is something north of here that's blocking my senses. Mokuba is nearby, I know it." Seth placed a hand on Kaiba's shoulder soothingly. "I _know_ it," Kaiba repeated more quietly. "But for the life of me, I can't find out where."

"So you think he could be in the only place you can't 'see,'" Lantern said, nodding. "Makes sense. I got your back on this."

"You have our thanks," Seth said.

Kaiba clicked his tongue and muttered, "Too formal."

Seth flashed his Ka a dark smile and squeezed his shoulder. "Keep withholding information from me and you shall see how formal I can be," he said.

Kaiba met Seth's eyes evenly and opened his mouth to speak when Mai interrupted. "Nice try," she said. "But he's right. If you really think you're off the hook that easily, you've got another thing coming."

Seth grinned and Kaiba released his breath in a hiss of frustration, moving his glare to the Sorceress who had the audacity to lean on one hip, cross her arms, and stare right back at him with all the haughty righteousness she could muster.

"I'm fine," the Regent growled.

"I am afraid I must disagree on this point," Shaadi said, stepping forward so he stood by Mai.

"Me too," Arrow said, standing up just in time to catch Kaiba's betrayed glance. He shrugged. "I was there," the vigilante said. "I watched you pull that stunt back there with your shadow and the Shadows _themselves_ yanked me into a Travel. I'd say that was significant."

"The _Shadows_ forced the Travel?" Shaadi gasped. "How?"

"What stunt with your shadow?" Mai demanded.

"I'm feeling left out," Lantern said, raising his hand.

"Seto fell into his own shadow to escape the Avengers and Doctor Strange," Seth said. "It is a dangerous and often unreliable method of escape. There are too many things that can go wrong at any given time."

"You fell into your own shadow?" Shaadi breathed. "Regent, you know the consequences if you had even slightly miscalculated."

"I am aware," Kaiba said.

"Then why did you do it?"

"Because they had me surrounded," Kaiba snapped, fury burning his eyes. "I was in full sunlight, there were three Avengers behind me, and the self proclaimed most powerful sorcerer on this Earth was standing in front of me waiting for me to try something."

"I was there," Arrow said.

"Yes, after I explicitly told you to meet back up with Mai and that I would follow," Kaiba countered.

"I sent him back because I felt you try to warn me of something," Mai said, drawing Kaiba's ire. "What did you expect me to do? Just stand there and wait for you to come back?" She harumphed and tossed her hair over her shoulder. "You learn slower than Jounouchi."

Kaiba downright snarled at the comment. "Take that back," he hissed.

"No," she said. "Not until you tell me what's going on. What aren't you telling us? Even Seth is out here demanding an explanation and he's intimately aware of everything about you."

"That attack was more severe than the others," Lantern said, startling the group. "I may not be a Shadow user but I was in the military and I'm no stranger to medical emergencies." The emerald glow from his ring of power gleamed deep in his dark eyes. "You should have let the EMTs at least look at you before we left."

"I don't like hospitals," Kaiba said curtly.

"You didn't have to go," Lantern said, cutting off the Regent. "I do think you should have let the medics at least look you over. I say we take you back and at least have one of them look at you if they're still there."

"No."

"That wasn't a choice," Mai said.

"Are you rebelling against me?"

"No!" she snapped, stomping up to Regent so she intruded on his personal space. "I'm trying to make sure I don't lose you!" Blue eyes noticeably widened. "God, how blind can you be?" she continued. "I'm your Sorceress. _Your_ Sorceress. Do me a favor and respect my opinion enough to listen to me."

"I am."

"No you're _not_!" Her light violet eyes glittered with her fury. "You are hearing what I'm saying but you aren't _listening_. I saw you when you arrived. You looked like you were dying. You were pale, barely breathing, clinging to Seth like your life depended on it, and your soul wasn't where it should be. Don't you dare try denying it," she blazed forward, clobbering Kaiba's attempt to speak. "I felt it. It wasn't where it was supposed to be. It moved. Why else do you think you were so disoriented when you came to? Your scent was all wrong. It smelled like you kept coming and going in wafts, like you were guttering."

Kaiba clamped his mouth shut, staring dumbfounded at Mai. She had only screamed at him like this a few times in the past. Her words, her accusing eyes, and the eyes of everyone present including Seth burned him like flames on his skin. Deep in his mind, Kisara crooned gently reminding him she was there, calming him.

"If that's the way it was, then that's the way it was," Kaiba said firmly. "Leave it, Sorceress."

"No, I won't," she said. "Ishizu said you would need me on this trip-"

"And I desperately wish I had ignored her advice and left the lot of you behind," Kaiba said fiercely. "This is my problem to handle, not yours."

"I am as much a part of this as you are," Mai yelled furiously.

Kaiba leaned back and crossed his arms. "No you aren't," he said. "You're only involved because I brought you here."

"That's what this is all about," Arrow said suddenly. "You feel responsible for this." Kaiba aimed a frigid glare at the vigilante who merely nodded, the look all the confirmation he needed. "I'm right, aren't I?"

"That's ridiculous," Mai said. "It's the Bastard's fault. I thought we decided that. Well, the Bastard's and Ares's faults. Last I checked, you didn't plant either of those bombs, shoot yourself, brainwash Arrow, or any of that."

"Just because he didn't do it doesn't mean he didn't cause it," Arrow said. "That's what you think, isn't it?" he directed at the Regent. "You're the Regent and a CEO. The leader is responsible for everyone under his charge and takes the fall for those under his watch."

Lantern's eyes widened and he nodded slowly. "I get it," he said. "The need to take the consequences on yourself for mistakes that may or may not have happened. But it wasn't your fault. None of it was."

Kaiba stared at each of those present before settling on Shaadi. "Do you have anything to add?" he asked sarcastically.

"Nothing that has not been said," Shaadi said cooly. "I do, however, believe Mai's question deserves an answer."

"What question?" Kaiba asked warily.

"What happened?" Mai asked, her voice softer and more gentle than before, the reins holding her temper back in place.

Warm skin brushed his hand and Kaiba knew it was Seth. "Nothing," he said firmly, deliberately avoiding his ba's eyes. "It was just another attack."

Mai's eyes darkened and she leaned back in disappointment. Seth placed a hesitant hand on Kaiba's shoulder and stepped directly into his field of vision, meeting his gaze evenly.

"It would not have been as bad as it was," Seth said softly, "had you not taken the brunt of it. For that, I am unsure whether to strangle you or kiss you," he said to his Ka who merely lifted an eyebrow at the comment. "Perhaps one after the other. I have no preferences as to the order."

"On that note," Lantern said, awkwardly, "how about we focus on the problem at hand."

"And that would be?" Mai asked.

"Splitting up and covering our bases," he replied. "Arrow, you can track Kaiba and the others with your Shadows, correct?"

"So long as they don't go too far, yeah," the vigilante said seriously.

"Good, then do what the Regent said and see if you can have a chat with the Avengers' archer," Lantern said. "If it looks like it'll go south, get out of there. Mai, Shaadi," he said, turning to the other two Shadow users, "see if you can talk to this Strange person. Kaiba, Seth," he said, turning to the Regent and his Ba, "I believe we have somewhere to be."

Seth nodded, casting Kaiba one last glance through the corner of his eye before vanishing back into his Ka's soul room. He could wait for a full explanation later. It was not as if Kaiba could escape him. The Regent shifted at that particularly uncomfortable thought but nodded to Lantern calmly all the same.

"Agreed. If anything happens, we'll need a base to fall back to," Kaiba said.

"This should work unless we find something better," Arrow said. "We'll let you know if that happens."

"Then let's get to it. Need a ride or are you driving?" he asked the Regent. Kaiba smirked and held out a hand to which Lantern sighed and shook his head in resignation. "I figured you'd say that," he muttered.

They vanished into the Shadows first followed closely by Mai and Shaadi. Arrow remained behind just long enough to take a good long look at the cityscape, remembering his location. He sincerely hoped the missing buildings that had been one of the most distinctive parts of the New York City skyline was just a small twitch and nothing as foreboding as he could not help but think it was.

Heaving a sigh, he checked his quiver to be sure he had enough arrows. He should probably head back to the ground to attempt to reclaim any of his arrows that were recoverable then track down the Avengers' archer. On the bright side, the archer was probably holed up in the Avengers Tower. Maybe if he was lucky, he could get some inside info on the team of superheroes here. At this point, any information could be remotely useful in tracking down Mokuba and getting out of here.

Facing the cityscape once more, he drew his bow and held it at his side before drawing on his Shadows and vanishing.


	25. Equivalent Exchange

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the Court and League exchange information and Mokuba divulges information.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** Sorry for the incredibly long delay in updating this chapter has actually been ready for sveral days but atuff has prevented me from posting. Basically, I hydroplaned while on my moped and crashed (I'm ok except for a few bruises and my scooter is okay except for broken handlebars), I had a big test in Italian, two group projects due, and bad weather including a Tornado Watch yesterday and today. I'm actually live streaming the weather currently because there's a possible tornado nearby headed in my direction. There's already confirmed reports of large hail damage and a possible tornado on the ground. Needless to say, I'm on high alert. But posting this is a nice, calming distraction.
> 
> That said, y'all enjoy this have a great week. ^_^

"J'onn!" Yugi blinked when several other people materialized in his hospital room. "Oh, you're here too?"

"Is that a problem?" Shayera asked asked, folding her wings to keep them from interfering with the medical equipment.

"No, I'm just surprised, that's all," Yugi said, waving his hands defensively. "I didn't sense you."

"Indeed," Yami said, appearing sitting on the bed next to the King. "It's one of the reasons why you were able to capture Kaiba when you first met him."

"Because I'm not human," she said nodding.

"Partially yes," Yami agreed. "The other reason was you were airborne, I understand. Sensing someone when they or you have no contact with the ground can be tricky."

"I see," Diana murmured thoughtfully.

"It's good to see you too, Wonder Woman," Yugi said with a smile. "What's the occasion?"

"We can't visit a friend who's hurt?" she asked.

Yugi's positively beamed next to Yami who appeared surprised. "Of course!" he chirped happily. "Although," he added shyly, scratching his head, "I'm not really hurt anymore. Jounouchi and Honda were able to heal me. It just aches a bit now."

"Actually," Yami said, speaking up, "since you're here, we might as well tell you. We're leaving. We need to contact Pegasus for help."

"Pegasus as in Maximillion Pegasus?" Shayera asked, raising an eyebrow incredulously. "I thought he was dead."

"He is," Yami said calmly, "here."

"You mean another version of him," Diana said shrewdly.

The Pharaoh nodded but it was Yugi who spoke. "We need more cards to boost our magic," he said slowly. "It also wouldn't hurt to have allies in other realities should we need them."

"Even though Pegasus tried to kill you," Shayera said.

Yugi's eyes dropped sadly. "He was trying to resurrect his lost wife," he said softly.

"He went about it the wrong way, granted," Yami said, "but he did help bring the Shadow Games back which has been both a boon and a curse. It's possible he may have become a friend if he managed to survive Bakura taking the Eye from him in another reality."

"And if he still has the Eye or he is not a friend?" J'onn asked.

"Let's hope that's not the case," Yugi said.

"But if it is," Yami said seriously, "I doubt he would be able to stop us from leaving should we wish to."

"Do you plan to go alone?" J'onn asked.

Yugi blushed. "Well, not...yes?"

"Unless you're offering to come with us," Yami said. "We wouldn't mind."

The Manhunter nodded. "I would, yes," he said. "I was unable to accompany the Regent when he left but perhaps I can make up for my mistake."

"Hardly a mistake," Yami said, sliding off the bed to stand. "Green Lantern went in your stead and has been rather helpful since."

"You can communicate across dimensions?" Diana gasped. "I'm impressed."

"It takes more energy than usual but nothing taxing," Yami said. "We informed him of your suspicions that Ares was behind the bombing."

"How did-?"

"Green Lantern informed us of your suspicions when he arrived to meet the Regent," J'onn said. "I assume one of the two Shadow users, Amelda or Raphael, informed you of this."

"Indirectly, yes," Yami confirmed.

"They called Anzu," Yugi said, "and she told us when we held Court." His violet eyes dimmed. "I heard you were planning on visiting the tomb dig, Shayera," he said. The winged woman nodded and he sighed. "Then you should know they found the entrance. It's only a matter of time before they get inside. The traps and spells inside the tomb should hold them back for a while but..."

"It has been over 5,000 years," the Pharaoh finished slowly, placing a reassurring hand over Yugi's. "Traps can fall to ruin like so many civilizations have during that time and all spells have a half life. Nothing lasts forever."

Green eyes narrowed. "Then I'll do my best to help slow things down," Hawkgirl said.

"You should also know my Triad as well as Ishizu may need to bring knowledge of our existence out into the open," Yami said sternly. "It'll be a last resort but..." He shrugged. "They may not have a choice. Kaiba is suffering the debilitating effects of this. We felt it in this reality."

"Could it kill him?" Diana asked.

"I hope not, but I cannot say for certain."

"We're leaving as soon as we can," Yugi said. "We need the advantage as soon as possible."

"Has something else happened?" J'onn asked.

The King and Pharaoh met each other's eyes speaking silently to each other in their own way before Yami bowed his head in acquiescence. "Yes," Yugi said. "Ishizu saw Kaiba die."

"What?!" Shayera exclaimed.

"It was in a vision," Yugi explained. "We know the assassin can travel between worlds, and can steal our Monsters from us-"

"Steal your Monsters?" Diana said. "How?"

"If we knew that, we would likely be able to stop it," Yami growled, crossing his arms and sulking. "He stole Jounouchi's Red Eyes Black Dragon. Literally ripped it from his card. It's gone completely. Jounouchi can't even feel it anymore let alone summon it. He...isn't taking it very well."

"I'm not surprised," Diana said nodding.

"We still don't know how he's able to do what he does or why he's doing it," Yugi said. "In her vision, Ishizu saw the assassin steal Kaiba's Blue Eyes White Dragon from him in the same manner Jounouchi's Red Eyes was stolen. Then he shot Mokuba. Kaiba... He ended up committing suicide," the King finished softly, eyes lowered. "I've never seen him so devastated before."

"Why kill Mokuba?" J'onn asked, his golden alien eyes soft and sympathetic. "What purpose could murdering a child have?"

"I don't know," Yami replied. "Mokuba is guided and protected by Ra-Horahkty, the Creator God of Light. She is the head of the Egyptian Gods, the most powerful, and the absolute authority in anything and everything relating to our domain. Even our gods, Ra, Osiris, and Obelisk bow to her will. If Mokuba ever summoned her, anything and everything could happen. She has a will of her own. It's possible the assassin killed Mokuba knowing that."

"Why not just summon her and end this then?" Diana asked.

Yami and Yugi were already shaking their heads. "It doesn't work that way," Yugi said. "Once summoned, she will not obey our commands. She commands us and we bow to her."

"She isn't a Monster to be summoned lightly," Yami said. "I did so once and only because it was either summon her or watch the world be destroyed. It nearly killed me. She cannot exist outside the Shadow Realm without directly channeling through her summoner, using their soul as fuel. Mokuba could summon her, but it would probably kill him in the process."

"That's why he usually just lets her guide him and why she protects him even without being summoned," Yugi said. "She can do that where usually our gods can't. Ra and Osiris can communicate with us but in order to directly use their power to attack or defend, they must be summoned."

"I see," Diana murmured, crossing her arms thoughtfully.

"So," Yugi said, "after that gloomy thought, Yami and I are leaving as soon as we can. J'onn," he asked, looking up to the alien, "are you ready to leave now or do you need to get ready?"

The Manhunter nodded. "I am ready now."

"You're leaving now?" Shayera asked.

"Time is short," the Pharaoh said. "You should hurry to Egypt as soon as you can as well."

"I was planning on it," she said.

"I'll return to the Themiscyra and keep an eye on the proceedings there," Diana said. "Maybe I'll learn something worth mentioning."

"Good luck to you," Yami said.

"And to you," the Amazon princess replied. She tapped her communicator and said, "Wonder Woman to Watchtower."

"Superman here," came the superhero's voice.

"Shayera needs a ride to the dig in Egypt and I'm heading back to Themiscyra," she said. She glanced at J'onn who nodded silently. "J'onn's going with the King and the Pharaoh."

"Where?"

"Another reality," Diana said.

"That's-"

"It will not be unusual to me," the Martian said suddenly. "I am not from this world so the differences should not be as jarring. The chances of a paradox occurring are also slim."

"That's true but-"

"I am going, Superman," J'onn said. "I will be back soon, I promise."

After a beat of silence, Superman's voice returned. "I guess there's no changing your mind, is there?" he asked rhetorically.

"No," J'onn replied anyway.

A sigh echoed through the tiny speaker followed by a heavy, "Alright. Just stay safe."

"That would be preferable, yes," J'onn said to which Yugi snickered.

"Wonder Woman out," Diana said, switching off her communicator. "I'll see you all later then." She stepped forward and vanished leaving those remaining in the room staring where she had been with various expressions of surprise.

"Remind me to take Diana with me next time I go shoe shopping," Shayera said, before tapping her communicator. "Shayera to Watchtower. I'm ready to teleport."

"Got you," Superman replied.

Then Hawkgirl vanished in the familiar flash of a teleport. J'onn turned to Yugi who was sliding off the bed with Yami's help. The IV needle was still in his arm and a few sticky sensors were still adhered to his chest but otherwise, he seemed alright. 

"The moment, I take these off, the nurses will figure out what's going on," he said. "Yami, can you grab my clothes? I need to look at least somewhat decent."

Yami quickly grabbed Yugi's clothes and helped him dress as best he could without removing the sensors. They had to wait to put on Yugi's shirt until the sensors and IV were off, freeing his arm and torso.

"Get ready to get out of here in a hurry," Yami said, preparing to remove Yugi's sticky chest sensors.

Instead of replying aloud, J'onn stepped forward, placed his hands on both Yugi and Yami, and became incorporeal. Instantly, the adhesive sensors and IV fell away from the King as he too became incorporeal who blinked in surprise.

"Or you can do that," he said with a giggle. The machines began beeping with increasing frequency and pitch catching his attention. He quickly pulled on his shirt and grabbed his shoes and socks. "Hold on," he said, when he was finally ready.

He and the Pharaoh closed their eyes and drew on their Shadows, calling to their gods and asking for their power. This would be the first time they had ever initiated a travel between realities, but perhaps this experiment could firmly determine whether or not they needed to be in the not-place that served as their Court in order to do so. Hopefully, it was not required.

The Shadows flooded them, Ra's flames burning through the King's veins, Osiris's lightning tingling through the Pharaoh startling a yelp out of J'onn. The two monarchs instinctively grabbed hold of the Martian telepath and pulled his mind close to theirs, shielding it from the effects of the Shadows as best they could. After what felt like minutes, there was a rush of air then silence.

* * *

 

He was gone. Helios was gone. Ares had taken him. Where was Seto?

Dark gray eyes lifted to stare dumbfounded at the man who had stabbed his friend and recognized the familiar horror and shock there. Mokuba had felt the same when Seto freed him from Noa's mind control during their stint in his stepbrother's virtual world. If it was the same or similar to what he had experienced, then Logan would need sympathy not anger. It was not his fault Helios had been hurt.

Mokuba stepped forward noticing Logan's body tense but did not stop. The mutant reminded the young Keeper of how Seto looked when he had become Set reborn during Akhenadin's sentencing a year ago. Alone, guilty, horrified, scared, and confused.

"It's okay," Mokuba said softly, holding out a hand. "I'm not mad. Are you okay?"

Logan blinked at the boy in stunned confusion. He tilted his head as if listening to something but otherwise remained still, waiting for Mokuba to approach.

"I'm not mad," Mokuba said, continuing forward. "It was Ares, not you. It's not the first time he's done that to my friends." When he was close enough, he put a gentle hand on Logan's wrist and gazed up at the mutant carefully. "Helios is alright too, I promise."

"I'm afraid that's not true," Ororo said gently, stepping close and placing a hand on Mokuba's shoulder. "A wound like that-" She stopped abruptly, glancing at Logan spoke.

"I..." Logan stared down at where Mokuba was touching him just above the blood covered knived still extending from his knuckles. "I killed him."

"Well, yeah you did," Mokuba said awkwardly, "but not really." He winced and reached up to scratch his head nervously. "See, he can't die that way. You basically knocked him out. He broke his neck and back when we first got here. He can heal, like you can. He'll be okay." He returned his hand to Logan's and smiled. "So it's okay. We'll get him back." He jolted upright and grinned as a sudden thought occurred to him. "My brother's gonna flip when he hears Ares messed with Helios. Fireworks!" he cheered, pumping a fist in the air.

"What do you mean heal? I thought he could control solar energy and gravity," Jean said, crossing her arms and staring at the boy. Her head tilted slightly to the side as if listening to something.

"You seem to be taking this rather lightly," the mutant with the red goggles said sternly, stepping up next to Logan.

"I've seen worse," Mokuba said casually. "Besides, it's Ares's fault. He started this. But don't worry," he added with a smirk. "My nii-sama will _break_ him for doing that."

"Perhaps," a new voice said, drawing everyone's attention, "we should discuss this big brother of yours more seriously." Charles drove his wheelchair towards the group, his gentle eyes now had a hard edge to them. "Storm, Jean," he said to the two women present, "please make sure all the children are safe and then meet us in my office. Scott," he added to the young man with red goggles, "go with them please." He turned his eyes back to Mokuba. "I think it's time we learned the full truth of what is going on here."

Mokuba's shoulders drooped and muttered softly in Japanese. This was going to be a long day.

* * *

 

"Now," Charles said.

"Is everyone okay?" Mokuba exclaimed cutting off the professor.

"Everyone is fine, Mokuba," Charles said placatingly. "Just a couple bumps and bruises, thankfully. Your friend Helios was wise to take the fighting outside. It limited the damage."

Mokuba heaved a sigh of relief. He did not like the idea of hurting other kids, neither did his brother. Plus, Mokuba liked the people here. They reminded him of the nicer kids at the orphanage before Gozaboro had adopted him and Seto.

"You were an orphan?" Charles asked suddenly.

Mokuba tensed and gulped, quickly trying to think of a way to block out Charles's abilities. It was too much like Pegasus, even if Charles meant no harm.

"Ah, I see," Charles said, nodding slowly. "That explains your mistrust of telepaths." Mokuba almost smacked himself for thinking of the former Industrial Illusions CEO. Charles just smiled gently and said, "I promise, I won't hurt you. I don't believe in harming someone if I can avoid it. It's a last resort only."

Mokuba nodded. "His name was Pegasus," he said, deciding to at least explain that part. "He convinced the Board of Trustees of my nii-sama's company to betray me and my nii-sama while he was...in a coma," he admitted slowly, glancing around nervously. "There's a specific code they need to take complete control of our company so, when my brother suddenly woke up, they kidnapped me and sent me to Pegasus hoping he'd be able to extract it from me with his...power. He didn't get anything," he said proudly. "Then nii-sama came after me and, with some help, was able to get me back."

"And this Pegasus was a telepath, I presume," Charles encouraged.

Mokuba nodded. "Yeah."

"I see." The professor settled back in his wheelchair and resting his nose gently on his steepled fingers. "Now perhaps you could tell us why this person, Ares I understand his name is, attacked your friend. I assume he was after your friend and not you, am I correct in that assumption?"

Mokuba nodded. "He and Helios aren't..." He hummed thoughtfully. "Helios is under my brother's protection from his boss who wants him for..." He paused again. "What is the word for, ah," he waved his hands trying to articulate what he wanted, "not saying something when he probably should have or..." He bit his lip.

"Why don't you try thinking it and I'll try to understand," Charles offered genially. Mokuba nodded and grimaced as he attempted to picture what he wanted in his mind. Charles tilted his head to the side and asked, "Conspiracy?"

"What's that mean?" Mokuba asked curiously.

"Generally it means plotting or conspiring for an unlawful plan," Ororo said from her position standing near the window.

Mokuba shook his head. "No, it wasn't deliberate," he said instantly. "He didn't tell his boss because he didn't think it involved him."

"So he withheld information which directly or indirectly lead to something happening which he may or may not have predicted," Charles guessed.

"Yeah, pretty much," Mokuba said. "It wasn't his boss's business. He kept the information secret because it didn't matter at the time."

"But it matters now," Scott said from his place by the door.

"No," Mokuba insisted. "It doesn't. Zeus is just a control freak."

"Zeus?" Charles asked.

Mokuba blushed. "He's Helios's boss. He's a bastard."

"Zeus, as in the Greek god Zeus?" Jean asked incredulously.

"What, you mean like Thor?" Logan pressed.

"No, I don't think so," Charles answered instead. "Helios knew of Thor but the Thor I saw in his mind was different in appearance from the Thor we know. I'm assuming this Zeus is also from another reality."

"How did you-!" Mokuba smacked a hand over his mouth and sulked when he realized he all but confirmed Charles' theory. He was not doing very well with this right now.

"Calm down, Mokuba," Charles said gently. "My friend Doctor Strange informed me of your origins. He told me he's met a group of travelers who are also looked for someone, the younger brother of one of their group."

"Seto!"

"Seto," Charles commented, a small smile tugging his lips. "Is that your big brother?" Mokuba nodded enthusiastically. "Then I should tell you he's looking for you. I wasn't able to get a lot of information during the short time we could talk, but Stephen told me the last he heard of the group, they were in the western United States. They use some sort of magic but he can't track them."

"I'm not surprised," Mokuba said with a shrug. "Our power's kind of sneaky. And my nii-sama doesn't like being spied on."

"You have a very protective older brother," Logan said, speaking finally.

Mokuba turned to the mutant sitting quietly in the corner watching the proceedings and smiled. "I like him that way," he said happily.

"If I may," Charles said curiously. "You told Logan that he did not actually kill Helios. Is that true?"

"He can't die like that," Mokuba said nodding. "He's...well, I guess I can say. It's doesn't really matter. Helios is immortal and invulnerable. He can't age and can't die from conventional means. Only someone like him or a weapon made by someone like him can actually kill him. At least, that's what I think he meant."

"Fascinating," Charles murmured.

"He's a Titan," Mokuba said.

"A Titan?" Scott asked.

"The guys who came before the Greek gods like Zeus."

"So he's older than Zeus," Jane said. "Huh. And he served Zeus until this whole fiasco happened?"

"Well," Mokuba said morosely, "he didn't really have a choice."

Charles's eyes narrowed then softened sadly. "I see," he murmured. "My sympathies."

The Keeper shrugged. "He and Selene got away. My nii-sama was protecting him until we fell into this world."

"Yes," Ororo said, "and how did that happen?"

"The balcony we were on was bombed," Mokuba answer simply. "My brother tried to save me but the assassin shot him and I fell. Helios jumped out and took the landing so I wasn't hurt. We landed here. I'm not sure how or why but..." He shrugged. "That's what happened."

"And Ares followed you," Charles said. "Is he the assassin you mentioned before?"

"No," Mokuba said. "That's someone else."

"How do you know this?" Jean asked.

"I...a friend of ours said the bomber and the shooter were two different people," he replied.

"And how would you know that if you fell after the bombing?" Scott demanded suspiciously.

Mokuba shifted uncomfortably in his chair. "She can see the future," he mumbled. "It's not the permanent future," he said quickly. "Nii-sama proved that when he defeated her in a duel after she saw him lose to her in a vision."

"So she can see the future if things continue as they are," Charles said. "Most impressive."

"Still," Ororo said. "You knew that was going to happen and you continued to let it."

"We changed it!" Mokuba shout furiously. "She saw my nii-sama die in her vision and he's still alive. We changed it just-"

"Not enough," Logan grumbled.

"My nii-sama's _alive_ ," Mokuba said firmly. "He's alive and he's coming for me."

"I believe you," Charles said quickly before anyone else could speak. "I do, Mokuba. I believe you. I'll contact Stephen and hopefully we can find your brother and bring him here. Why don't you come with me?"

Hope kindled in dark gray eyes and Mokuba's smile glowed. "You can find him?"

"With your help, I'm sure we can," Charles said. "It could take time, but I promise, I will help you." He glanced over his shoulder. "Logan," he said, "why don't you come with us."

Logan grimaced. "And if I say no?"

Mokuba focused his eyes on the mutant and widened them just the way he knew always got Seto right where he wanted him. "Please?" he asked and cackled inside when it worked just as well on Logan as it did on Seto. Maybe this would not be a bad day, just a long day.

"Before we go, I do have one last question," Charles said smoothly. "You said Helios was under your brother's protection. Why? Why get involved in something like this in the first place?"

Mokuba hesitated before sighing. "The information Helios has is about my nii-sama," he said reluctantly. "Seto's powerful enough to keep everyone under his control hidden if he wants to. He kept Helios hidden for a year before now."

Charles gazed at Mokuba closely. "You think the assassin who shot your brother may have something to do with Ares tracking down Helios. Why is that?"

"I just do," Mokuba answered seriously. He shrugged self-consciously. "It makes sense."

"I agree, it does," Charles said. "Let's go find your brother now, shall we?"


	26. Birds of a Feather

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Coulson says hi, the Avengers like talking, and two archers have a heart-to-heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** Tuesday is Reading Day. I had my first Final today (which technically isn't allowed, it's against school policy) and have two more Final exams to "look forward to." So I'm posting this to procrastinate. I wrote this earlier but until today, I've been too busy studying, finishing up projects and papers, nd working to post. Darn you real life! *shakes fist* As for this chapter, couple quick things:
> 
> 1) Yes, what Arrow says Lorelei did to him and Ward actually did happen in the episode (minus the fact Arrow wasn't there). Ward was unable to give legitimate consent meaning what she did was... That.

Arrow could never decide how he felt about Shadow Travel. It was useful, he could not deny that. It also felt comfortable, almost like swimming or flowing through water. But the way things outside the Shadows looked was odd and took some getting use to. It reminded him of walking along a sidewalk after a rainstorm leaving puddles of varying size and depth everywhere. In this case, the sidewalk was the darkness where the shadows, both sentient and not, could reach and Arrow could move and see through, and the puddles were the splotches filled with light. Everything covered in light was invisible, while everything covered in shadows was visible.

The vigilante hovered near a particularly large puddle which looked directly into what was probably the living room in the Avengers' Tower. Who would have thought a room like this would be kept so dark? The shadows were practically everywhere except for the area close to the large, floor to ceiling windows lining the far wall overlooking a balcony and the New York City skyline.

Tony Stark had stripped himself of his armor and was currently fiddling with a computer. Strangely, the glowing device that had been at the center of his metal armor's chest plate was still in his chest just visible beneath his shirt. The man in the blue leather suit with a star in the center of his chest had removed his mask and was leaning against the wall watching Stark at work. That must be Captain America. Falcon was removed the metal backpack where his wings were stored and talking to a woman Arrow did not recognize. She had fiery red hair and wore a black multi-purpose suit which was tight for durability and mobility, less for appearance.

A nervous looking man with brown hair was pulling on a fresh, button-up shirt and watching the computer screens Stark was working with. He looked like he actually understood what he was seeing; a scientist then. The Avengers' archer was sitting on the cushions facing the blank monitor on the far wall by the stairs leading to the loft adjusting his bow and adding personalized tips to his arrows.

Arrow settled in to watch and listen. Maybe he could get something useful.

"How much longer?" the Captain asked sounding slightly annoyed.

"This isn't easy you know," Stark said, not looking away from his work. "Have you tried hacking into SHIELD security?"

"No, but the Regent managed it pretty well."

"Yeah, and now SHIELD's pissed because their security's been breached," Stark replied.

The brunette heaved a sigh and answered more politely, "He means SHIELD security is top notch. The fact the Regent was able to hack into it as quickly and efficiently as he did is why SHIELD wants him so bad."

"Better to have someone like that as an ally than an enemy," the woman said seriously and the brunette nodded.

"After they question the shit out of him," Stark said curtly. There was a snap followed by the hum of something mechanical starting up. "Got him," he said

"Where is he?" the Captain asked, stepping forward to look over Iron Man's shoulder.

"Hold your horses, Rogers," Stark said, eyes still focused on the screen in front of him. "I gotta ring him up first."

"Ring him up?"

"He means call him," the mousy brunette scientist said calmly.

"On the big screen...now," Stark said, looking up to the large monitor on the far wall.

The screen fizzled from a blank black to a video. The person on the video seemed slightly surprised before settling to resignation. He was average looking, not particularly memorable. His hair was light and close cut. His eyes were soft and sparkled with knowledge and secrets. Crows feet stretched from the corners of his eyes revealing this man was more familiar with smiles than frowns. This would not have meant anything to Arrow, except for the small fact that he knew this man.

"Coulson," Stark said. "Back from the dead, I hear. What's it like on the other side?"

Coulson sighed before speaking, taking the time to look everyone present in the eye. "It sucked," he said simply.

"Well yeah. No alcohol," Stark said, stepping around his temporary work station so he could lean back against it and face the screen in a deceptively casual manner. "Did you really die or was that all part of Fury's plan to get us to team up?"

"You _were_ stabbed," the archer said slowly. "Loki let everyone under his command know that the moment it happened."

Coulson pressed his lips together and appeared to be considering his words carefully. "Is this line secure?" he asked at last. Stark lifted an eyebrow, taking the question as an insult. He opened his mouth to snark a reply when Coulson cut him off. "I'm not joking Stark. This is something even Fury was unaware of until recently. We don't know who to trust right now. Is this line secure?"

The Captain stepped forward, worry etched on his face as he glanced at the confidant technological genius next to him. "Is it?" he asked.

Stark considered a moment before saying loudly, "JARVIS, inform me of any attempts to break into this communication. Stop them if you can. If you can't, cut us off."

"Understood, sir," a mechanical disembodied voice said.

Arrow blinked in surprise and searched for the owner of the voice. The scenario reminded him a lot of his first introduction to Noa. Perhaps this was a maybe not equivalent but alternate version of something along the lines of Noa. Will wonders never cease?

"It is now," Stark said.

Coulson nodded on the screen. He looked around the room he sat in on his end, probably to make sure he was alone before speaking. "I did die," he said. "Fury had the medics do what they could, but..." He shook his head. "At least he stayed with me till the end." He heaved a sigh. "Someone, or some _thing_ else decided I could be used for some sort of experiment. I don't know who and neither does Fury. It was done without his knowledge or consent, not that he would have given it even if he'd known," he added darkly. "They brought me back to life. That's...all I can say for sure right now."

"So you essentially pulled a Lazarus," Stark said incredulously.

"Essentially, yes," Coulson replied.

"Huh."

The following silence hung heavy before it was broken by the Captain. "I still have your cards," he said softly. "I cleaned them up and had them framed, if you want them."

Coulson smiled although it was tinged with sadness Arrow was not sure he understood. "Keep them. I'll come get them when I can."

"You can count on it."

"Steve," Coulson said, catching the Captain's attention, "thanks."

"Don't mention it," Steve replied with a friendly smile.

Coulson sat back from the screen and stared at Stark curiously. "Well, while this is nice, I don't think this was why you called me," he said, raising both eyebrows in interest.

"No," the woman said, stepping forward finally. "Someone hacked into SHIELD's systems-"

"I heard," Coulson said, cutting her off. "I should have expected that from him, but I didn't think he was that good." He shrugged. "He didn't take anything or see anything particularly sensitive."

"You knew the Regent hacked SHIELD's databases?" the brunette asked. "Does Fury know?"

"I wouldn't be surprised," Coulson said. "I told him. I figured that's how you found out I'm alive."

"It was," Steve answered.

"Okay," Falcon said. "That answers a couple questions, but not others."

"Such as?"

"Who is he? What does he want? What's he doing here? And what does Doctor Strange have to do with this?"

Coulson's blinked, leaning forward in interest. "Doctor Strange is involved?"

Falcon nodded. "He showed up when the Regent attacked Doctor Doom."

"Yeah. He used a dragon, by the way," Stark said. "A dragon. Where's Thor anyway? Isn't this more up his fantastical alley?"

"The dragon is new," Coulson said. "But the Regent is a mage so I'm not surprised Doctor Strange got wind of him."

"He said the Regent was from another dimension," Steve said. "Did he means Asgard or one of the other Nine Realms?"

Coulson was already shaking his head. "I doubt it," he said. "Sif had never heard of his type of magic before."

"Sif?"

"Friend of Thor," the agent said. "She and the Regent helped us with our case. A fugitive of Asgard named Lorelei was brainwashing men and forcing them to fight for her." His eyes darkened hatefully. "She got her claws in one of my team as well as one of the Regent's."

"Who?" Stark asked. "The archer or the Middle Eastern dude?"

"The archer," Coulson replied, casting a sidelong glance at the Avenger's archer.

"You gotta love the bow an arrow thing goin' on," Stark said. "I hear the girls find them sexy."

"Loki's male," the Captain said with a raised eyebrow.

"I don't know," the woman said thoughtfully. "He can PMS better than several women I know."

Arrow shifted, debating whether or not to step out of the Shadows and ask Coulson how Ward was doing. While he did not know the man well, they had worked together under Lorelei's control. They both had to live with the memory of their free will being subverted without their consent. He could not help but wonder how the other man was handling all this.

"Sif, the Regent, and his group helped us capture Lorelei and get our people back," Coulson continued after a moment.

"How many does he have on his team?" Steve asked. "The Regent I mean."

"Four, not including himself," Coulson replied. "Mai his Sorceress, Shaadi his Advisor, Green Lantern, and Arrow."

"What kind of names are those?" Stark asked.

"Ones we chose for ourselves," Arrow said, deciding to hell with it. Kaiba told him to contact the Avengers' archer and that's exactly what he was doing, in his own way. Kaiba never did tell him how to contact the other man after all. 

The Avengers whirled around, the woman drawing a handgun and aiming at his head just as fast as their archer drew and knocked an arrow on his bowstring and added his threat to the woman's. The Captain drew no weapon but Arrow doubted he really needed one considering the muscles he had. Stark just watched him in mixed fascination and annoyance. The skittish brunette scientist jumped but appeared more curious than anything else. Arrow deliberately kept his hands in full view of everyone in the room, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Intruder alert!" the disembodied voice said over the loud speakers.

"Yeah," Stark grumbled. "No shit Sherlock."

"Coulson," Arrow called. "Good to see you."

"Likewise," Coulson acknowledged with a smile. His smile softened to one of concern. "How are you doing?"

Arrow took a moment to actually think about that question. "As well as I can be," he answered. "How's Ward?"

"Um..." the scientist mumbled.

"Coping," Coulson replied. "He's a trooper, but it's bothering him."

"You should let the Regent talk to him," Arrow suggested. "He has...personal experience with this sort of thing."

Coulson's eyebrows lifted in surprise. "That explains his rather vindictive punishment."

"Um, hello," Stark said, waving. "We're still here."

Arrow ignored them and rolled his shoulders self-consciously. "That was my punishment actually, but he allowed it. I think if he'd cast the Penalty himself it would've been much worse. He has a vindictive streak the size of Texas."

"I'm not surprised," the agent said.

"Can someone fill us in?" the Avengers' archer asked rhetorically.

"Of course," Coulson said. "Where are my manners? Barton, Avengers, meet Arrow. Arrow, I believe you already know the Avengers."

"I met Stark and saw the patriot and Falcon from a distance," he said. "But I don't know the others."

"Good," the woman said.

"I'm Bruce," the skittish scientist said, extending a hand shyly. The woman stared at him incredulously.

"Nice to meet you Bruce," Arrow said, taking care to move slowly and predictably as he reached out and shook Bruce's hand. He noticed the woman lower her gun slowly, followed closely by the archer.

"How did you get past my security?" Stark demanded.

"Magic," Arrow said simply.

"Yeah, I got that," Stark snarked. "Be more specific."

"Can't," Arrow said. "That would take time which is something we seem to be running short on."

"Why?" the archer, Barton Coulson had said his name was, asked suspiciously.

Arrow turned his hooded forest green gaze to the the other archer's deep blue. "Several reasons. The most important of which is, as I think Coulson is aware, we're looking for someone. Two people actually. They fell here a day or so ago and its important that we find them."

"Why?" the woman demanded.

"One of them is the Regent's brother," Coulson said.

The woman nodded. "And the other?"

"Ah..." How should he describe Helios? "I'm not sure if his people exist here, but he's an ally of ours. He and the Regent's brother were together when they fell."

"What's his name?"

"Helios."

"Greek mythology!" Stark crowed. "Fabulous. The next thing you know, we'll have Egyptians running all over the place." He rubbed his hands over his face to ward away a headache. "Alright. So, I have to ask," Stark said, removing his hands and leaning on the table in a casual manner, "'Regent?' Really?"

Arrow could not stop the faintest snickered. "That's what I thought when I first met him," he said. "But it makes sense once you're in the know."

"Oh, and are we 'in the know?'" Stark asked, air quotes and all.

"Not without his permission, no," Arrow said.

"Aw, come on."

Arrow chuckled. "Sorry Flash," he said.

He realized what he said almost as soon as he said it and strangely did not regret the comparison. Stark apparently had Kaiba's love for technology and Flash's overly eager, hip, and overexcited nature. It was refreshing when the guy was not keeping him from getting the heck out of an unwelcome situation.

"Flash?" Stark asked. "I take that as a compliment."

"Go ahead. He's a good friend of mine."

"Flash is a name?" Barton asked incredulously. "What kind of name is that?"

Arrow shrugged. "He's fast, very fast. He has the power of superspeed. The name was his idea and it fits him in practically every respect."

"Huh."

"Have you had any luck finding them?" Coulson asked suddenly.

Arrow's humor drained. "Not yet," he asmitted. "The Regent's sure they're in New York, but something's making it difficult to track them."

Coulson hummed. "I take it he's out looking for him now." The vigilante nodded and he continued. "If you aren't with him then I'm assuming you're here for something else."

"I'm here to talk to you actually," Arrow said, turning to Barton. He blinked when he finally got a good, long look at the other man and coughed a laugh. "Well, actually, I think you probably overheard quite a bit last night at the bar."

Barton stiffened when Arrow reached up and pulled his hood back just enough for Barton to see his masked face. Barton's eyes widened as he lowered his bow completely so the knocked arrow pointed directly at the ground.

"You!" he gasped. The wheels started visibly turning in his head. "The woman I heard in the back, was she the Sorceress?"

"She is, yes," Arrow replied. "And now that we recognize each other, I think you and I should talk."

"Why?"

"My Regent suggested the idea," the vigilante admitted. "On the understanding you treat me like an ally and not criminal, I'm willing to exchange information."

"Cool!" Stark said loudly, startling the mousy scientist next to him. "I love information. Helps me stay on top of the competition."

Arrow hesitated. He felt distinctly uncomfortable with discussing mindcontrol with a group of people he hardly knew. He was willing to bet Barton felt the same if the subtle hint Coulson gave was anything to go by. But there was no problem with giving some common knowledge information as a sign of goodwill. You never know, maybe he could get the Avengers on his side if not simply more friendly towards his position.

"We're fighting an enemy capable of crossing realities," he said plainly. "He's behind the attempted murder of the Regent, the King, and several innocent bystanders including the Regent's brother. That's why we're here."

"To catch him," Steve said, eyes narrowed in both sympathy and calculation, a true soldier.

But Arrow shook his head. "If we catch him while here, the better, but that's not why we're here. All we want is the Regent's brother and Helios back. Once we have them, we'll leave."

"Travel through realities?" Bruce asked curiously. "Not dimensions?"

"Realities," Arrow confirmed with a nod. "Ours is similar to this one but different."

"How so?" Bruce asked, crossing his arms over his chest and rubbing his chin with one hand thoughtfully.

"Well for one, you're missing at least two buildings from the New York skyline," Arrow said, glancing out the window of the tower sitting room. "If I was looking at a photograph of the city from the water and had no idea where I was, and say the Empire State and the Chrysler buildings weren't visible, I wouldn't know I was in New York City at all."

"What buildings?" the woman asked cautiously interested.

Arrow kept looking out the windows curiously and answered, "The World Trade Center Towers." He pointed vaguely towards to edge of the cityscape. "They should be at the far end of the island in the Financial District, if I remember correctly. I'm from the west coast not the east so I usually don't care about New York, not my jurisdiction. But I remember those two buildings. I do watch movies after all."

"The Twin Towers?" Coulson asked.

Something in his voice caught Arrow's attention and he turned back to the screen. Coulson's eyes were haunted as were almost everyone's in the room.

"What?" the vigilante asked hesitantly, unnerved by the unexpected reactions.

No one spoke until the woman shook her head so her shoulder length red hair flipped over her shoulder. "They were destroyed in a terrorist attack thirteen years ago," she said bluntly.

Arrow blinked, eyes wide in shock. He quickly looked back out the window staring at the cityscape hoping to see the towers. He knew deep down, as did the rest of his group he realized now, that the absence of those buildings was probably a bad thing, but it never occurred to him that it was such a bad thing. Terrorists in New York...

"Superman would have a few words about that," he murmured.

"Superman?"

Shit. Oh well. It was common knowledge after all. 

"One of the members of my team," Arrow said absently.

"The Regent's team?" the woman asked.

Arrow snorted. "No," he said quickly. "Osiris, no. He hates Superman with a vengeance. I don't blame him. The guy's a boy scout."

"Osiris?" Bruce murmured curiously.

"Hey Cap!" Stark called. "I found you a friend. May you two can get together and compare badges."

Steve gave Stark an annoyed glance that almost reminded Arrow of the ones Batman often threw Superman and bit back a grin. 

"Barton," he said gaining the other archer's attention, "if you could."

"He doesn't leave the room," the still as yet unnamed woman said curtly.

Arrow nodded. "The balcony then," he said indicating the one behind him, "in full view and within easy reach while still maintaining a sense of privacy."

The woman turned to Barton who nodded after a moment. "Fine by me," he said. He glanced back at Coulson and saluted before followed the vigilante outside. "Alright," he said once the door had closed behind them, "what do you want?"

"Well, almost everything I was probably only supposed to tell you I told everyone else," Arrow said, walking over to the railing and looking out. "I'll likely get an earful about that but not much else." He placed both palms on the metal before turning around and leaning against it, crossing his ankles and arms across his chest casually. "How 'bout we talk about the person who took over your mind."

"How 'bout we not," Barton said shortly, blue eyes narrowed.

Arrow nodded. "Fine." He waited several moments to allow both of them to gather their thoughts before speaking. "She took advantage of me," he said, finding the words hard to come by. "Ward more than me," he admitted, "but I was still involved." He tilted his head to the side and considered his next words. "I guess what I'm trying to say is she raped us on top of forcing us to fight for her and betray our friends. I think I should have killed her and a part of me wishes my Regent hadn't shown any mercy. I wish he'd just let our magic deal with her in its own way." He heaved a sigh and dropped his gaze to his booted feet. "But then I remember if I had allowed that, I would have been no better than her."

Barton shifted. "Coulson said her punishment was 'vindictive,'" he said slowly. "What did he mean by that?"

Arrow hummed thoughtfully. "L-" He stopped before he said her name. He was not ready for that yet. "She used her looks to distract and lure her prey in and her words to enslave their mind. Stronger minds required her physical touch as well, but the result is the same," he said. "I took those away from her, permanently."

"How?"

"Our power is sentient," Arrow said. "I'm not really sure how to explain it other than that it simply is. It follows rules just like everything else. The catch is, if something or some _one_ breaks those rules, a penalty is exacted one way or another. Normally the Regent decides the penalty, but in this case, I did." He met Barton's eyes evenly and said, "I stripped her of her looks and her voice. She looks like a mummified zombie and croaks like a goat. Well she would if that collar wasn't there silencing her." He shook his head. "It's actually one of the most disturbing things I've ever seen," he added softly.

The wind howled around them as it rushed between the buildings of the city.

"Do you regret it?" Barton asked.

"No."

"Do you still wish you'd killed her?"

"Yes."

A horn honked below.

Arrow sighed. "But at the same time, I think this penalty is worse."

Barton hummed. "He took over my mind, forced me to betray my beliefs, had me kill people, people I knew and worked with and people I didn't, and used me to allow an army of insect aliens to invade Earth."

Arrow let out a low whistle. "Well..."

"He's still alive."

"Yeah."

"His mind had been compromised at the time too," Barton admitted. "Not as much as mine, but at least partially." He fingered his belt. "We found out later."

"Doesn't matter much, does it?"

Barton shook his head. "Not really, no." He shifted. "You said the Regent had personal experience with," he waved his hand and said eloquently, "this."

"He's been mind-fucked more than you or me," Arrow said. "Long story short, three times that I know of, though I'm pretty sure more than that. He doesn't like talking about it."

"I don't blame 'im."

Thunder rumbled in the distance and Arrow looked over his shoulder curiously, forehead creased. "That...wasn't there a minute ago," he said.

"No it wasn't."

Arrow turned to see Barton racing back inside and saying something to his companions that the vigilante couldn't hear through the glass. He turned back to the storm clouds to the northeast, hoping to Obelisk it was not what he thought it was. The last thing he needed was a furious Set.

"Please be Thor," he breathed.


	27. The Doctor and the Infamous Murphy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Mai and Shaadi meet the good Doctor, someone else join thise ragtag team of crazies, and Yugi and J'onn meet Murphy's Law.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** Silghtly on the shorter side, but I'm celebrating my temporary break from school. I have a week off to just work at my job and study my butt of for my two Finals. This is gonna be interesting. I'm seriously tired so I'll edit this again to orrow when I'm awake. Night~ ^^;

Mai was seriously getting annoyed. Her Shadows were nowhere near as powerful as Kaiba's or Shaadi's but even Shaadi was having trouble finding this Strange person. She had finally given up and decided to wander through an open air market close to the park. If they could not find the good doctor, then maybe he could find them.

She and Shaadi actively used their Shadows, reaching, feeling, hoping for the doctor to show up. Naturally, Mai was busy studying a very lovely piece of jewelry when someone tapped her on the shoulder. She waved them away and caressed the necklace. It was steampunk in style with copper feather wings spreading out from an antique analogue clock. The chain was not so interesting, just simple interlocking copper. But the pendent was perfect. She could make it into a choker charm easily.

The tap returned, this time accompanied by a man clearing his throat. She sighed and straightened, turning to see who was bothering her. The man was tall and handsome if a bit odd. His hair was raven black with a streak of snowy white along his brow. His eyes gleamed with ancient wisdom and he wore a long, black robe with a red cloak draped over his shoulders.

"You must be Doctor Strange," Mai said, planting her hands on her hips and taking in the man's appearance.

"I am," the man replied with a quiet smile. "Your companion is a couple tents down if you would accompany me and join him."

Mai pouted and glanced back regretfully at the pendent. She really wanted it. But she knew she did not have the money to buy it. She was running low on cash and the chances of her credit card working here were nigh on zero. Heaving a sigh, she shrugged.

"Might as well," she said.

Together they walked out of the tent and down the aisle. The tent Shaadi stood in had its sides rolled up to allow the breeze to blow through. Colorful clothes, scarves, and hats shifted in the wind. Shaadi was staring at a collection of bright scarves, running his fingers along them gingerly. His strange orange eyes were soft and distant, filled with an emotion Mai immediately recognized.

She grinned an stepped up to her friend. "What colors are you stuck on?" she asked.

Shaadi did not jump at her words, he merely tilted his head thoughtfully. "These two," he said, singling out two scarves. One was a deep, almost midnight blue with gold details and the other was soft yellow tinged with silver filigree.

Mai leaned over to more closely examine to fabric, touching it and comparing the colors and details. "This one," she said, holding out the blue one. "It looks like her eyes."

Mai had to place a finger over her lips to remind herself not to laugh when a faint flush colored the Advisor's cheeks.

"Many thanks," he said, turning to the cashier to pay. When the transaction was complete, he folded the scarf up delicately tucking it securely in his sleeve before turning to the other two. "Doctor Strange, I presume," he said politely.

"Correct," the mage replied. "Perhaps the park would be a better place to speak, yes?"

Shaadi nodded and the group left the tent to move under the trees in the park. Doctor Strange sat down in one of the benches gesturing for Mai and Shaadi to join him. "You are with the Regent, correct?"

"Yes," Mai said. "And I have to say, you're one hard man to find. Whatever spell you're using to block your presence is very good. I could feel something that gives me shivers but I could not find you."

"Shivers?" Strange asked curiously, crossing his legs and resting his hands on his lap comfortably.

Shaadi nodded. "An object of significant power," he said simply. "I believe it is in your possession since you are the only mage I have met or heard of in this world powerful enough to hold it."

"Is that so?"

"I dislike repeating myself," Shaadi said calmly.

Strange chuckled. "I can sympathize with that. Now, if I guess right, you were looking for me. May I ask why?"

"The Regent sent us," Mai said. "I'm personally hoping you can give us a bit more information about what exactly happened. I'm afraid Kaiba wasn't very open about it."

"Kaiba?"

"The Regent," Shaadi said calmly, stuffing his arms into his sleeves.

"Ah. Well, I missed the first half of it, I'm afraid," Strange began. "I arrived when I felt him summon the dragon. I was only just able to stop the attack-"

"You stopped her attack?" Mai said. She whistled and smirked. "No wonder he was pissed."

"Her?"

"The dragon," Mai replied. "She's a she."

"Fascinating," Strange said, rubbing his bearded chin. "Well, after that it seemed things were going well. I had almost convinced your Regent- may I call him Kaiba?"

"It is his name," Mai said with a shrug.

"Kaiba then. I had almost convinced him to come to SHIELD willingly," Strange said. "I would have accompanied him the whole time, of course. SHIELD and I have an agreement. I deal with magic users that cross their path if they can't handle them."

"A sound decision," Shaadi said, closing his eyes peacefully.

"Unfortunately," Strange said, "Iron Man made a remark that was...less than kind." He pressed a finger to his temple and massaged it. "I think it may have... Well, Kaiba did not take it well and he- actually, I'm not sure what he did." The sorcerer leaned forward, eyes sparkling in avid interest. "What was that? It was not teleportation or a transportation spell I'm familiar with."

"Shadow Travel," Shaadi said, opening his eyes. "We can travel through the Shadows as we see fit. What he did was foolish but, given the situation as he described it, a necessary evil."

"How was it foolish?"

"He used his own shadow," the Advisor said. "Using one's own shadow to Travel is dangerous. The slightest change in the light's brightness, direction, or any outside influence could disrupt the synchronization and potentially kill the Traveler. The Traveler and their shadow match perfectly but to fall directly into it..." He trailed off shaking his head.

"If the light moved," Mai said, "Kaiba could have landed on the ground and hit his head or fallen half into the shadow and the part of him that missed could have been severed."

Strange hummed. "I am familiar with the dangers of spellcasting," he said slowly, "so something like that is not new to me. However, the type of magic you use is. But there is something more pressing I wish to discuss."

"And that would be?"

"Right before he left, Kaiba seemed to be in some sort of pain," he said slowly. "I felt a sense of foreboding just before the color drained from his face and he seemed to wince. If I didn't know better, I'd say he was being attacked." Sharp eyes glanced at the two people before him seeking any sign of confirmation or denial.

"It was an attack of sorts," Mai said.

Shaadi cocked his head slightly. "It is the...what we hope to be the unintended consequences of the actions of a handful of foolish people back on our world. I cannot say more without his permission, but I can say it is becoming more serious faster than we anticipated."

"It involved his soul," the doctor said grimly.

Shaadi's and Mai's eyes widened in shock. "How can you know that?" the Egyptian demanded.

"Suffice it to say I have a connection with souls at the moment," he said. He quickly held up his hands defensively. "I never use it for anything. I am merely aware of such things occurring."

"What the people are doing is causing Kaiba's soul to be ripped from him," Mai said seriously. Shaadi gazed sidelong at her which she studiously ignored. Kaiba was her Regent and she would sooner loose her Shadows than betray him or let him hurt himself with his own stupidity as long as she could do something about it. "He's fighting it but each time it hits, it's stronger than before. We can't predict when the attacks will happen, only that they will and that they're steadily getting worse."

Doctor Strange appeared positively stunned. "I did not know such a thing was possible without..." His eyes narrowed and he rubbed his chin in deep thought. "You are from another reality," he said abruptly after a moment. "Is there an object there that has the ability to steal souls?"

"Several," Mai said.

"Though they no longer exist as such," Shaadi said. "They were banished to a place where they can do no harm save what is commanded of them by a select few."

"And these items," Strange said slowly, watching them carefully, "were they stones of some kind?"

"No," Mai said, lifting an eyebrow curiously. "They were gold."

"How many?"

"Seven in all," Shaadi said. He blinked slowly. "They were banished as I said and are not the cause of this."

"You're sure?"

"Very," Shaadi said, nodding. "Souls can still be taken by other means, but it is often punishable by death."

"I see," Strange murmured seriously. "Then if what you say is true and your Regent is vulnerable, it would be best if he stayed away from my home for the time being."

"Why?" Mai asked.

"You too have an item which can steal souls, do you not?" Shaadi said. Strange did not answer but the Advisor was undeterred. "That would explain what Kaiba described as a 'cache of souls.'"

Strange stiffened. "A what?"

Shaadi gazed directly at Strange who did not flinch from his eerily colored eyes. "Before we Traveled to this city," he said, "Kaiba sensed a cache of souls here as well as a place blocked from his senses. He could also sense his brother although it was faint and difficult to discern. He is investigating the place his powers cannot reach right now."

"A place his powers can't reach?" Strange echoed thoughtfully. "Do you know generally where this place is?"

"I believe it is north and east of here," Shaadi said. "Not far but beyond the city. I, too, can sense it and it disturbs me, but I trust the Regent and his companion to take care of themselves."

"So he isn't alone."

Mai snorted. "As if we would let him be alone given the state he's in," she said snidely. "Not to mention the way he's behaved these past couple days. I almost want to spank him. Spoiled brat."

The doctor snorted, quickly covering his mouth in an attempt to smother his laughter. "That would be a sight to see," he managed, a smile still tugging at his lips. "I am curious, however. What is Kaiba the Regent of?"

Mai glanced at Shaadi who shrugged. "The man Coulson is already aware of this," he said, "and if he knows, the odds are high that the Avengers and possibly even SHIELD know as well."

Mai nodded. "He's the Regent of the Shadows."

"The shadows?" Strange asked intrigued. "As in the ones cast by the sun or a light source of some kind?"

"Yes and no," Mai said. She waved a hand absently as she spoke. "Those shadows too but they're not sentient. The Shadows Kaiba rules are sentient."

"Interesting," the sorcerer murmured. "Are these Shadows unique to your world?"

"Not at all," Shaadi said. "They exist in every world and every universe. They dwell in the Shadow Realm which acts as a bond holding the many realities together. Naturally, some Shadows exist in the many interconnected realities as well."

"Kinda like a tree," Mai said. "The Shadow Realm is the tree and the Shadows in the many realities are like roots, holding the realities together."

"Yggdrasil you mean?" Strange said.

Mai blinked. "The what now?"

"Yggdrasil," Strange repeated. "The Norse Tree of Life."

"Not Norse," Mai said derisively. "Definitely not Norse."

"Indeed," Shaadi said, the faintest hint of disdain in his voice. "We are not brutes like them."

"You're aware of Asgard then?" the sorcerer asked.

"Of the one in our world yes," Shaadi said nodding. "Though admittedly, not until recently."

Strange opened his mouth to speak once more when thunder rumbled in the distance. He abruptly stopped and stared fixedly at the sky to the northeast before groaning. "Speak of the devil," he grumbled.

"What is it?" Mai asked, standing and moving to stand by the sorcerer hoping to see what he was looking at.

Strange sighed. "Remember when we first met?"

"You mean when we were so rudely interrupted?" Mai asked sarcastically. "How could I forget. I'm gonna need a chiropractor when I get back because of that, by the way."

"It would seem someone from Asgard is arriving by Bifrost once more," the Doctor said seriously. Shaadi stood as well and joined him gazing northeast as he continued to speak. "Judging by the thunder, I'd say it was Thor."

"Well, at least he didn't slam us to the ground this time," Mai said.

"Yes," Shaadi said, orange eyes narrowed. "But the Regent is in that direction and I doubt he or Green Lantern are aware of Thor's arrival."

"And what about-" Mai stiffened when she felt her Shadows be tugged insistently by Arrow. "Speak of the devil indeed," she murmured, tugging Arrow's Shadows back in acknowledgement.

"What is it?" Doctor Strange asked, turning to her.

"Arrow wants us," she answered. "He was supposed to speak to the Avengers."

"Then it's possible he's aware of Thor's arrival since Thor is a member of the Avengers," Shaadi said.

"Think you can let Kaiba know, dear?" Mai asked. "I'll head over to Arrow to calm him down."

"I would like to accompany you," Strange said, drawing the Sorceress's violet gaze. "I'm curious about your powers."

Mai studied him for a moment before shrugging. "Fine by me," she said. "But I'm in charge which means no backseat driving," she said, waving her index finger like a mother would to an errant child.

"I will join you shortly," Shaadi said, closing his eyes to focus on sending a message to Kaiba.

"Whatever you say, hon," Mai said. Without waiting for a reply, she caught the good Doctor's hand and vanished into Shadows.

It only took a moment to pinpoint Arrow's location. He was standing on the balcony of the Avengers Tower, naturally. She was forced to materialize in a corner that was still covered in the shadow cast by the roof, dragging Doctor Strange out into the sunlight behind her. The Sorcerer Supreme was blinking in amazement.

"That was a rush," he said, a hint of a smile on his face.

"Isn't it though?" Mai said, tossing her hair over her shoulder as she walked up to Arrow who was staring at the storm building in the northeast. She felt his Shadows acknowledge her and she returned the gesture before following his gaze, humming appreciatively at the cumulonimbus cloud. "Nice storm," she commented.

"It's growing faster than a normal storm," Arrow said. "I'm sincerely hoping it's Thor and not," he glanced over her shoulder, "you-know-who."

"Voldemort?" Mai teased. "Sweetheart, he has no creativity," she said, waving a hand dismissively. "He couldn't do something like this if it killed him. No taste at all."

Arrow's lips quirked up before his gaze was drawn to the glass doors of the Tower where the Avengers were coming out to join them. "Oh, this'll be fun," he mumbled.

"Who're your friends?" Stark called. He noticed Mai and whistled. "Hello gorgeous," he said gallantly, holding out his hand. "And who are you?"

Mai gave him a once over before snorting. "Not interested," she said. "Although," she added, glancing at the red-headed woman standing near a jittery mouse of a man, "whatever you use on your hair, I would love to know."

The woman smirked. "Shampoo and conditioner," she said.

Mai cackled. "Oh, I think I like you." She stepped forward and extended her hand. "Name's Mai," she said. "I'm the Sorceress of our little ragtag gang here."

"Natasha," the woman replied after a moment, taking Mai's hand.

"She totally just ignored me," Stark said.

"Face it dude," Barton said. "You've been friendzoned."

Arrow snorted, looking down to hide his grin. He looked up to see the Sorcerer staring at him and met the man's gaze evenly. "I remember you," he said. "The only one who didn't attack my Regent."

"I had no reason to," the sorcerer said holding out a hand. "Doctor Stephen Strange. You must be Arrow."

"I am," the vigilante replied. Thunder rumbled again, this time louder and closer drawing everyone's attention. Something inside the vigilante trembled not in fear but in discomfort. "I don't like this."

"SHIELD just confirmed Bifrost activity," the Captain said.

"It's Thor," Doctor Strange said. "He should be here shortly."

"Where's Shaadi?" Arrow asked.

"Behind you."

It was only a miracle Arrow did not jump at the voice belonging to the person who most certainly had not been standing behind him a second ago. Instead, he stared straight ahead only tilting his head to acknowledge the Advisor's presence.

"I really need to know how you do that," Stark muttered.

"The Regent is aware of Thor's arrival," Shaadi said, stepping up to stand next to Arrow. "He's ordered us to stand by and take no action unless we need to."

"Don't attack unless attacked first," Arrow muttered. "And if the Bastard shows up?"

"I did not ask," Shaadi said. "But I will take his presence as an attack."

Mai grinned. "As will I."

"At least we're all agreed on that," Arrow said.

"Bastard?" Bruce asked.

"The guy who caused this mess in the first place," Arrow said.

"That's his name?"

"It's what we're calling him."

"Sounds legit," Barton said.

Arrow's lips twitched and he glanced at Barton. "I think we'll get along just fine."

"Great," Stark said, throwing his hands up. "You're Katniss," he said, pointing to Barton, "and you're Legolas," he added, pointing to Arrow.

"I will kill you," Arrow said bluntly.

"I called dibs first, buddy," Barton said, glaring at the billionaire.

"Share?" Arrow asked.

"70/30."

"60/40?"

"Done."

The archers shook on it and the deal was made.

Mai snickered. "Careful boys," she said. "I may have to record this and post it on Youtube."

Lightning split the sky followed by thunder and the heavy boots on the balcony nearby. Thor had arrived.

 

* * *

 

"Who the hell are you?"

Yugi blinked in confusion from the rush of jumping realities and looked over to the person lying in the hospital bed in surprise. A young woman was lying there staring at him and a camouflaged J'onn in shock.

"Ano, sorry, wrong room," he said awkwardly, waving his hands quickly in the universal gesture for enough. He grabbed J'onn's hand and together they booked it out of the hospital room. Once in the hallway, they walked more slowly, making their way towards the exit.

"I guess when traveling between realities, we end up in the exact same place as we started just in the other reality's version of it," he mused aloud.

"So it would seem," J'onn said, taking in the sights. "How will we find Pegasus?"

"It shouldn't be too hard," Yugi said. "I just need a computer."

They stepped outside into the bustling city and were greeted by a video billboard showing Pegasus and Duel Monsters cards announcing his presence in Domino City for a convention of some sort.

"Or we could just see that," Yugi said grinning sheepishly. "I forgot how full of himself he was."

"If you know where he is, I can get us around his security," J'onn said.

"That may not be necessary," Yugi said. "This way!"

He grabbed J'onn's hand and ran over to the bus stop just as a bus pulled up and dropped a couple coins in the slot for both himself and J'onn. Thankfully, the ride was not a long one; the bus was stuffed with people. Many were cosplayers, others were definitely not native to Japan. Perhaps this convention was more popular than he first realized. Unfortunately, his presence had not go unnoticed.

"Hey!" someone shouted. "Aren't you Yugi Mutou?"

Yugi stiffened. "Ah..."

"You are!"

The bus stopped and Yugi was out the door as fast as he could, J'onn on his heels. They were standing in the main square of Domino City that served as both a park and outdoor amphitheater. Platforms were being set up as was a stage, sound systems, and stage lights. Were those KaibaCorp Duel systems?

"Yugi-boy! Is that you?"

Well, this was turning out to be an easier mission than he'd originally thought. Naturally, Murphy's Law decided to kick in right then in the form of over eager fans all but tackling the poor, height challenged King of Duelists to the ground. J'onn blinked in surprise and confusion, unsure whether to help the young King or not.

Unfortunately for Yugi, the extent of Murphy's Law went beyond just the over-excited crowd, a befuddled alien, and a flamboyant Pegasus. Kaiba, still chasing his brother, knew the moment his fellow monarchs traveled into another reality. The shift in the presence of the Light and Dark was almost insignificant but the fact remained that Yugi and Yami had done it while Kaiba was gone and had not bothered to give him any warning at all. The Regent was not happy about it, not at all.

Green Lantern could only dodge when a fist suddenly planted itself in the tree in front of him. While he did not know what caused the Regent to lash out so suddenly in such a way, he knew his job had just gotten that much more complicated.

"Lord give me strength," he muttered under his breath.


	28. Rebellion and Hunting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Shayera is furious, the Darks get theatrical, and the Regent throws a temper tantrum.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** Same gig, y'all. It's late so I'm posting this and crashing. I'll edit it thoroughly tomorrow when I wake up. I apologize if this is a bit short but I'm seriously tired.
> 
> Oh! By the way, the confusion with last chapter: that was the beginning of the convention that serves as the setting for the _Bonds Beyond Time_ YGO movie. I suggest y'allwatch it. It's awesome and both Yugi and the Pharaoh are in it. That's actually where Paradox is from.
> 
> Lastly, I have a funny story. I left the on-campus dining hall at midnight. The place was haing a special where they were serving free pancakes and stuff from midnight to 2am for anyone with a student ID. The line for the pancakes looped the entire inside of the place, into the foyer where people hadn't even been able to get in, and out the door. I'm not even kidding. Midnight...on the first day of Finals. ...wow... I'm glad I left when I did. Yeesh. It would've gotten seriously loud in there and the wifi was already getting overloaded.

She had to admit, the set-up was impressive. Apparently, Carter had received some reinforcements after the discovery of the tomb's entrance proved its existence to his investors. Lovely.

She landed in the center of the encampment knowing she would be seen. She walked straight through the crowd of archeologists to the where Carter stood speaking to a well dressed man who was in all likelihood one of his investors come to inspect the "merchandise." Ishizu stood nearby glaring at Mr. Hall. She nodded to Shayera when they locked eyes. They may not see eye-to-eye on all subjects, but they respected each other as the rare woman in a primarily male dominated business.

"Carter," Shayera called sternly startling the man. "What are you doing?"

A smile burst onto Carter's face. "Shayera!" he exclaimed. "It's so good to see you."

He rushed up to her, hands extended to grasp hers. But she deliberately crossed her arms and refused to acknowledge the gesture. She simply glared at the man. "I said, what are you doing?" she said coldly.

Carter dropped his hands in confusion. "Shayera," he said. "What's wrong? Aren't you here for this too? I found Set's grave, Shayera! I _found_ it!" His enthusiastic smile returned and Hawkgirl felt her heart drop. "I kept telling them it existed but they always laughed at me. Now I've found it! Imagine it. This will rewrite what they know about Ancient Egyptian history. The truth will finally be known."

"Yes," Shayera said snidely. "And I'm sure the money had nothing to do with it."

Carter had the grace to blush. "Well," he said awkwardly, "a man's gotta put food on the table somehow, right? And anyway," he added hurriedly, "I'll be famous because of this. I'll be in the high echelons of society. People will respect me. And imagine all that we can learn from this. With their technology we could recover the old ways." He practically vibrated with excitement. "I can't wait to show everyone."

"And have you thought about the consequences of this?" she asked, studying the man before her. "Has it occurred to you what kinds of affects unearthing this place could have?"

"It's a tomb," Carter said sarcastically. "No one's seen this place let alone been inside it for millennia. It's completely undisturbed. Do you know how rare that is? A pre-dynastic tomb of an ancient Egyptian pharaoh. Not just any pharaoh, but Set, the Lord of Storms." A manic gleam flickered in Carter's eye. "With this discovery we can show the world Set and Isis and the other gods were real, that they were people. This could be the discovery of the century!"

Shayera grabbed Carter's arm and yanked him away from the dig to a more secluded area where they could talk relatively undisturbed. "Do you have any idea what your actions here are causing, Carter?" she demanded. "Kaiba is suffering because of this."

"Kaiba?" Carter asked in confusion.

"The Regent," Shayera said forcefully. "Set reborn. Did you really think unearthing the tomb of his previous incarnation would do no damage?"

"What do you mean 'damage?'" Carter said incredulously. "I'm on the other side of the planet. And anyway, Set is dead. Kaiba isn't Set, he _was_ Set. Besides," he added regaining some of his enthusiasm, "this could propel him into the spotlight, highlight his career, give him an edge. Think about it: a god living in the modern world, walking among us. People will flock to see him, to buy his merchandise, to listen to him speak, maybe even worship him."

"You think he even _wants_ that?" Shayera exclaimed. "If he wanted that, he would have exposed the Shadow Court. He knows what coming out and revealing who and what he is could cause and has decided not to do it. He doesn't want to be worshiped, Carter. He wants to be left alone. Which means you have to stop this."

"Stop?" Carter gasped. "What do you mean stop? We found the door, Shayera. The door with the lock still in place. The others are working on removing it without jeopardizing the possible archeological significance of the find. Then we'll be inside the main chamber. Just imagine when we find the sarcophagus!"

"You can't do this, Carter," Shayera said. "Don't you see? You aren't helping Kaiba, you're hurting him. This- what you're doing isn't going to 'propel' him anywhere except back here."

"You mean he'll come visit?" Carter breathed. "In person?"

"He won't be able to at the rate he's deteriorating," Shayera said darkly.

"Wha- deteriorating?" Carter repeated, unable to understand.

"As I understand it, by unearthing his tomb, you're causing his soul to be pulled back here," Shayera said. "You're literally ripping his soul from him. You're _killing_ him, Carter. Not helping him. He's fighting it right now, but last I heard he very nearly lost himself. You have got to stop."

"But..." The archeologist stumbled over his words. "I-I can't. This is the find of a century, don't you understand? I doubt my investors will let me stop anyway now that we have something to show for it. Do you realize I have a representative here from the Louvre? The Louvre! And Mr. Bakura is here from the Museum of England. I can't stop now. I'm so close!" He grasped Hawkgirl's shoulders causing her wings to flare and her feathers to fluff out defensively. "So close I can taste it!"

"Even knowing you could kill Kaiba?" she demanded, emerald eyes hard. "Knowing you could kill Set reborn?"

"He'll be fine," Carter said, waving her words aside. "You'll see. Everything will be fine."

With that, he patted Shayera's cheek like he used to back when his soul inhabited Katar Hol's body millennia ago, and left. Hawkgirl fumed in frustration. She wanted to smack the man but protocol prevented her. For a member of the Justice League to attack an unarmed civilian would not be a wise thing to do. Just managing to control her temper, she tapped her communicator.

"Hawkgirl to Watchtower," she hissed.

"Superman here," came the response. "Hawkgirl, are you alright?"

"I'm fine but I'm seriously considering throttling Carter," she snapped. "He thinks he's doing Kaiba a favor. That and he wants to be rich. Which brings to mind," she said, glancing to the suited man who calmly picked up his conversation with Carter she had rudely interrupted, "he brought up a good point."

"What's that?"

"They found the tomb's door," she said, calming down as she thought things through. Her wings fluttered before settling against her back comfortably. "In other words, they found solid proof which is all he really needed to convince his investors and museum representatives to consider backing him and getting a share of anything they unearth."

"Good point," Superman said dourly. "At least you tried."

Shayera hummed in thought. "Maybe I can do more," she said softly.

"How?"

"We know unearthing this tomb and more specifically the mummy inside it could end up killing Kaiba and we know the Shadow Court is on the verge of taking things into their own hands," she said, eyes narrowing. "I think we should back them up."

"We'll have to discuss this with the others," Superman said. "I do agree, the idea of letting someone die, even if it's Kaiba, isn't a good thing. But we have to tread carefully."

"You do," Shayera said. "I don't have to. I'm not from this planet and the Egyptian culture closely mirrors my own. I take offense to this."

"I understand, but others may not. Don't do anything you'll regret," Superman warned.

"I won't."

She cut off the communication and took flight, landing directly on top of the tomb door, wings spread and eye blazing. "I demand you stop this dig at once," she said loudly. "I personally take offense to this. You're disturbing the dead. I call that tomb robbing and where I come from that's punishable by death."

Ishizu stepped forward from her place in the Shadows and stood next to Hawkgirl. "I agree," she said. She turned her eyes on to the crowd that was gathering before them. "Know this," Ishizu said proudly, her voice carrying well through the air, "I and my clan will do everything in our power to fight this. If we have to, extreme measures will be taken."

"Are you threatening us, my dear?" the man in the suit asked. His hair was streaked with white and his English accent made his words sound clipped and disdainful.

"Threatening?" Ishizu repeated, midnight blue eyes wide. "You misunderstand," she said, smiling gently. Shayera blinked as Marik stepped from the Shadows behind his sister followed closely by Ryou. "I'm promising you," the Priestess said kindly.

Shayera fluffed her wings proudly, glad she had support.

"Ryou!"

Shayera turned to face the suited man again and was stunned to see the man staring astonished at the white haired Scribe by Marik's side.

"What on earth are you doing?" he asked in the tired way a parent would. Parent? Shayera's eyes widened. This could not be...

"What I want, Father," Ryou said simply. "Not that you care."

"Get down from there, son," Mr. Bakura said dismissively. "You're making a fool of yourself."

"Yes," Marik purred, slipping an arm around Ryou's waist. "You would know, wouldn't you? You are an expert in that area, after all."

"I'd appreciate it if you only spoke when spoken to, Egyptian," Mr. Bakura said, causing Marik to bristle furiously.

"Well, well, well," a new voice snickered. "A fool and a racist. That's quite the rap sheet you've got there." Bakura faded into existence next to Ryou, leaning on his partner and propping his other arm on his waist. "Tell me, Mr. Fool-"

"Who the hell-"

"Silence mortal!" Bakura snapped. "I'm talking and I'll hardly allow myself to be interrupted by an idiot like yourself. Despicable." He straightened and grinned. "Tell me, Mr. Fool, do you know what you've got here? Hm?"

Mr. Bakura opened his mouth to speak when Bakura said something in Ancient Egyptian. The next instant, he suddenly yelped, jumping up and down and clutching his bleeding foot as a tiny red, high heel shoe darted away. It hopped into the open hands of Ryou who smiled and petting it. Shayera stared at the shoe shaped creature in both horror and a sick kind of fascination. The place where the foot should go to put on the shoe was lined with razor sharp teeth.

"Did you know your son had me?" Bakura continued. "Did you know he had me for years? Did you know Ryou's almost died on several occasions and only I and his close friends were there to save his life? Did you know he could do magic?"

Mr. Bakura's eyes grew large.

"Of course you didn't," Bakura answered, waving his hand in a dismissive manner. "Not that you cared anyway. That said, don't think for a second we'll step out of your way. If anything," he grinned fiendishly, "we look forward to fucking you up."

"Yes," Marik said gleefully. "It has been a while since I could cause some sanctioned mayhem." He leaned close to Ryou who seemed caught between smiling helplessly and staring at his two companions in horror. "You think Shayera and the Justice League can cause trouble, just wait until you deal with three Darks."

"Not to mention the others," Bakura chimed in. "You didn't honestly think we would stand by and let you mess up everything we've worked so hard to accomplish."

"Indeed," Ishizu said, her voice smooth. "From this moment forth, you are our enemy and we don't take enemies lightly. I'm sure you understand."

"The hell is this?" Carter exclaimed. "Shayera!"

"Don't blame her!" Ryou said, finally speaking up. "We were going to do this anyway. You're hurting my friend. You're killing him by doing this. We have permission to do what we want." His soft chocolate brown eyes gleamed. "And rest assured, we will."

"This is your warning," Ishizu said loudly. "Cease and desist, or deal with us."

Shayera did not get the chance to so much as squawk in surprise before she felt the Priestess snatch her wrist and drag her into the Shadows. They reappeared in the shadow of a tent on the edge of camp. Shayera gasped and staggered in surprise.

"What-?" she started. "Why did-"

"Yes?" Bakura asked, examining his fingernails absently and leaning on Ryou's shoulder. "Do try to form a full sentence so we can answer."

"You all but revealed yourselves," Shayera exclaimed.

"Keep your voice down, would you?" Marik said, petting Ryou's hair. "I love dramatics and that was a rather spectacular exit. Wouldn't want to ruin it by giving away our position, now would we?"

"Marik's right," Ryou said, smiling shyly at Marik's attentions and petting the Bite Shoes fiend in his hand. "I've never spoken up against my father like that before," he said slowly, his grin growing. "That felt...good."

"You're just a little late blooming into your rebellious phase, yadonoushi," Bakura said, pleased. "See to it you stay that way."

"You revealed yourselves," Shayera tried again, this time to Ishizu who was standing calmly watching the chaos that had erupted after their theatrical exit in the distance. "I thought you wanted to stay in the Shadows. I'm glad you offered your support," she said quickly, "but I'm not sure Kaiba or the King and Pharaoh will agree with your methods."

"On the contrary," the Priestess said serenely, turning to face the Thanagaran. "Both the King and the Pharaoh have given us their blessing. As for Kaiba, he will not approve and will likely lecture me and the others for doing this. But he'll be alive to do so," she said, her dark eyes blazing. "And that's good enough for me."

Shayera backed down, studying the woman before her with new respect. She saluted Ishizu in Thanagaran style. "You are an honorable woman," she said boldly. "You can count me as your friend. I will convince the League to back me up on this, but as of now I am acting on my own."

"As you yourself said," Ishizu said grinning, "any help is welcome."

"Careful, sister," Marik's singsong voice wafted over. "Shaadi will get jealous."

"And if you don't shut your mouth, brother mine, I will be forced to drain the gasoline form your motorcycle," Ishizu said.

"What?!"

"Hush, dear brother," the Priestess said, holding a finger over her lips. "We don't want to ruin our exit, now do we?"

Marik fumed and Bakura cackled. Even Shayera found herself snickering.

* * *

 

"I am going to fucking murder him! I'll tie him down and beat the living shit out of him! The Osiris fucking bastard!"

"Oh, finally decided to curse in English so the rest of us can understand, I see," Green Lantern said mildly, lifting an eyebrow and watching the infuriated Regent pace back and forth.

Seth had retreated from Kaiba's soul room and was standing beside Lantern with a decidedly put upon expression as he watched Kaiba fume. He sighed gustily. "Just give him a moment," he said.

Sure enough, less than a minute later, Kaiba rubbed his hands over his face and huffed in frustration. Then he removed his hands and steepled his fingers, his glacial eyes focused on the middle distance. John could practically see the wheels in Kaiba's mind spin as he began planning around whatever had happened.

"What happened?" Lantern asked.

"The King and the Pharaoh have traveled to another reality," Seth said, "and they did not warn us or inform us of where they went." The Ba sighed. "This could cause problems we cannot even begin to imagine."

"Maybe not," Kaiba said suddenly. He had regained control of his temper but the embers still fizzled in his eyes. "He's not too far from our home reality. Actually, I'd almost say he's closer to it than we are. It should not be too difficult to find him should we need to." He massaged his temples in annoyance. "Yet another wild goose chase. Osiris blast him."

"You know, I'm curious," Lantern said. "Why do you always curse in the name of Ra or Osiris but never Obelisk? Isn't he your god?"

"He is. But he asked us not to. Besides," Kaiba said with a smirk, "I enjoy teasing that overgrown snake and pet bird."

Seth huffed but even he was smiling. "Have you calmed down then?" he asked.

"For now," Kaiba replied. "Let's get this over with before yet another idiot fucks up."

"Yeah, about that," John said, stepping up to the Regent as they continued down the road. "Why did you drop us here instead of closer to our destination? Wherever that is."

"Because something is blocking us," Seth said, crystalline eyes narrowed. "Something powerful and unrelated to the Shadows." He tilted his head as if listening to something far away. "It feels..."

"Fuzzy," Kaiba finished. "Like I'm being suffocated."

"Or drowned," Seth said softly.

"So not friendly then," Lantern said grimly.

"That is not necessarily true." Seth stepped close to Kaiba who paused, staring straight ahead and tilting his head carefully. "It could be a defense of some kind." He gazed at his Ka closely. "You feel it," he said softly.

Kaiba nodded almost imperceptibly. "Someone is aware of us," he said just as quietly. "I'm using the Shadows to dull our presence but it won't work against physical eyes. Lantern," Kaiba said as the superhero adopted a ready stance, "if something happens, fly directly ahead. Whatever this is, it's protecting something up there. If Mokuba is here, he'll be in the center of this. Get him out. We can handle anything here."

"Why don't you go and I stay?" Lantern countered. "He's your brother. He'll trust you quicker."

"True," Kaiba agreed. "But you can fly and I can't unless I summon Kisara and doing that would give away our position. Not to mention the trees would make it difficult for her to maneuver."

"Understood."

They moved forward slowly in silence for several minutes before Seth stiffened, crouching instinctively. Kaiba followed suit. _:What is it?:_ he demanded.

 _:Something is coming towards us,:_ Seth replied. _:It...unnerves me.:_

"Remember what I told you, Lantern," Kaiba said aloud.

"Got it," came the clipped reply.

For a moment, silence reigned. Then a bird flew out of the bushes startling them. Kaiba cursed colorfully and Seth flushed.

"Yes, birds can certainly be unnerving," Kaiba said, glaring at Seth who winced and vanished.

"Don't be too hard on him," Lantern said.

"I'm not," Kaiba said stepping around a tree. "I'm just annoyed."

"Well don't take it out on him," Lapntern said. "He's trying. That's more than most people would do."

"Try living with him," Kaiba grumbled to which Lantern could only shake his head.

Suddenly, Kaiba stiffened. "It's gone," he murmured. "The muffling blocking my Shadows," he clarified. "It's gone." Immediately, he extended his Shadows ahead, searching for his brother. When he felt the souls of the people there, he stood ramrod straight, eye bulging in shock. "Impossible," he breathed.

"What?" Lantern asked, feeling distinctly out of the loop.

"That can't be," Kaiba muttered, eyes narrowing. "How...?"

"How 'bout filling in an ally?"

Kaiba's head twitched in Lantern's direction but his eyes remained set firmly ahead. "Shadow users," he murmured. "Potential, latent, and active, all in the same place at the same time." He shook his head slowly. "There's no way so many Shadow users could find one another that fast."

"It may have taken time," Lantern offered but Kaiba was already shaking his head vehemently.

"No," he said firmly, eyes cold and fierce. "They're too young. I'm probably older than most of them."

He focused his Shadows on the souls ahead, studying them curiously. They were indeed young and there were many of them. But interestingly enough, there were also several adults present as well. At least one adult had the potential for Shadow magic but the majority of what he felt emanated from the children. His Shadows were still muted by whatever was keeping this place hidden but not enough to completely blind him or prevent him from Traveling there from here. It would just prove to be a bit more difficult. Seth shifted in his mind, still wary but hoping to make up for his previous blunder.

"Lantern," Kaiba said. "I think I can manage to get us closer by Traveling but it will be rough." He turned and eyed the metahuman carefully. "Do you think you're up for it."

Lantern briefly resembled the color of his ring of power before groaning. "I don't suppose I have a choice, really," he said resigned.

"Actually, you do," Kaiba countered. "If you think you can get us close enough to see but not get caught then by all means. It's taking a lot of my focus just to feel that far ahead with my Shadows. I may be able to use them now but it's still muffled."

"That I can do," Lantern said, straightening.

He activated his ring and surrounded Kaiba and himself in a green glow before they both levitated and flew through the trees tops. Ahead, he could see where the trees parted in favor of several buildings and yards. He settled them down in the branches of a thick pine tree overlooking the larges building and studied the people on the ground.

"You said they're Shadow users?" he asked. "You're right, they are just kids. It almost looks like a boarding school."

Kaiba bracing himself against the trunk of the tree and crouched down to get a better look between the dense pine needles. "Not all of them, no," Kaiba said. "Most only have the latent ability but others have the potential talent and at least one has active Shadow powers. They may not realize it yet, but I can sense it. It's not strong but it could be with practice."

"Which means everyone here has been traumatized somehow," Lantern said soberly.

Kaiba narrowed his eyes at the reminder, choosing to remain silent. Instead, he drew his Shadows to him and began searching the grounds for his brother taking note of every hint of the Shadows that he could find. He felt the soothing Shadows of his little brother deep inside the building. But wherever he was, it was close to the source of the muffling.

"Looks like there was a pretty serious fight here," Lantern commented jolting Kaiba back to reality.

The Regent blinked, his eyes looking in the general direction of Lantern's nod and an eyebrow crept up to his hairline. Sure enough, the singed remains of several plants as well as damaged bricks and other debris lay scattered about the grounds.

 _:Something involving fire,:_ Seth whispered.

Kaiba nodded then froze. Fire. _Helios!_ He quickly extended his Shadows again, searching for the distinct flame he associated with the Titan and found it missing. Cursing mentally, he stood.

"Helios isn't here," he said.

"What? What about Mokuba?" Lantern said.

"He's here but he's somewhere inside that building." The Regent shook his head. "He's close to the source of whatever's muffling my powers." He shifted. "I'll leave Seth here with you," he said. "Keep an eye out for anything out of the ordinary," he commanded. "If you see anything you think could be a problem, tell Seth and he'll tell me. Is that understood?"

Lantern nodded as Seth materialized next to him. "Good luck," he said.

Kaiba nodded to the metahuman before gazing at Seth. His hand twitched almost subconsciously before he caught himself and vanished back into the Shadows. Seth felt a pang of regret but settled in to wait nonetheless. Whatever had bothered him before was gone as if it had never been. But it had felt strangely familiar. He could almost place it...


	29. Kaiba Boys and Pegasus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the long awaited meeting finally takes place after a few false starts, Seth is not amused, and Pegasus is not as shocked as he probably should be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** Another late night update. I'm falling asleep while writing this actually. I plan on editing this chapter tomorrow morning during breakfast once I've slept on it. Then I'll be awake and have fresh eyes on it. That said, enjoy and good night.

He could not risk using his Shadows now. It was too dangerous. There were too many potential and latent Shadows users in the vicinity. If he used too many Shadows too close, he could accidentally make a latent Shadow user become a potential or a potential an active. It was a fine line to walk.

But he did not always have the Shadows. He still remembered and was quite capable of getting what he wanted without them. It was just slower and more tedious.

He materialized in the shadow of a tree as close to the building as he dared go using his Shadows. They released him reluctantly, hesitant to leave their Regent alone. They purred and tugged at his coat like a needy child. Kaiba brushed them away. It was not like he was cutting himself off forever.

 _:Had you not done so in the past, then they would have no cause to worry,:_ Seth's voice whispered in his mind.

Kaiba scoffed. _:Too formal.:_

 _:You complain,:_ Seth said, _:and yet you know you would not like me if I were not as I am.:_

 _:Just because I tolerate you does not mean I like you,:_ Kaiba said before ducking behind a bush. He hurried through the makeshift passageway between the tall bushes and the stone walls of the building until he reached the doorway.

 _:You do not mean that,:_ Seth sighed. He did not speak again until Kaiba was inside the building. _:You should shield yourself.:_

 _:I could,:_ Kaiba agreed. _:But it would-:_

 _:No!:_ Seth said urgently. _:Shield yourself now! Someone is coming.:_

Kaiba quickly yanked the Shadows over him, closed his eyes, and stood as still as possible. He heard the front door he had just entered through open and close but did not dare open his eyes. The Shadows rarely covered them to prevent distorting his vision. The bright blue irises would stand out against the darkness. So instead, he listened.

 _:Is anyone else coming?:_ he asked.

He felt Seth turn to Green Lantern and say something before feeling the sensation of his head shaking. _:No,:_ Seth said firmly. _:None that Lantern and I can see. The few still outside show no signs of going indoors.:_

_:Good.:_

Kaiba opened his eyes but remained shadowed. It was the only use of the Shadows he would allow himself at the moment. He strode forward and looked both ways. A long hallway ran on either side of him lined with wood paneled walls and heavy wooden doors. It was dark but not in an oppressive way. It felt old. A wooden staircase was directly in front of him leading to the other floors above. Taking his chances, he turned right and began walking down the hallway, keeping close to the wall so the Shadows could better hide him.

He was almost halfway down the hall when a loud, shrill ringing startled him and the doors swung open pouring what seemed like hundreds of young people out into the open. Caught off guard, Kaiba instinctively sank into the Shadows and immediately felt a presence brush over him. Seth added his essence to Kaiba's and together they did their best to dissolve his presence, concealing it as best they could.

 _:A telepath!:_ Seth gasped.

 _:A strong one,:_ Kaiba agreed. _:Honestly, what is with my luck and finding telepaths?:_

"Remember!" someone outside in the hallway called. "Stay in groups and contact your professors if you notice anything out of the ordinary."

The voice belonged to a woman with brown hair. She looked like a teacher except for the suit she wore. It was clearly made for battle, not for teaching. What sort of place was this? Were these young people held here against their wills? A quick study of the children rushing around revealed that they were indeed being guided by both the brunette woman and another woman, this one with white hair; but they were doing so willingly. Not a prison then. But then what...?

 _:There are children coming outside now,:_ Seth said. _:They seem to be heading towards several buildings nearby.:_ There was a moment of muffled sounds as Seth spoke to Lantern. _:Lantern says if this is a boarding school, then those are most likely-:_

 _:Dormatories,:_ Kaiba finished.

_:Who are you?:_

Kaiba jolted and Seth gasped. Immediately, Kaiba pushed Seth's mind away from him and scanned the hallway. He recognized that voice. Sure enough, the brunette woman was standing in the now almost empty hallway staring directly at his location. She could not see him but she could sense him. She must be the telepath he could sense. If that was the case, then perhaps she could be useful.

The snowy haired woman stepped beside the brunette following her gaze but with confusion in her eyes. She was not a telepath, but Kaiba felt the Shadows brush her. She was a latent but her connection with the Shadows was very weak, almost imperceptible. He probably would not have noticed it at all had he not been looking for it.

The brunette however had a stronger connection to the Shadows. She could be a potential but there was something else. He could feel something else there, a presence that was and was not the person he was looking directly at. Another mind perhaps? No.

Cautiously, he touched the brunette with his shadows and reeled back, stunned. She had another soul within her. It was dormant, but there. That should not be possible. Two souls could not coexist like that safely. But that did explain the Shadows' interest in her.

 _:Who are you?:_ the brunette telepath repeated more forcefully.

Kaiba could feel Seth pushing against him, wanting to help, to return to him but he refused to allow it. It was better if Seth stayed back. Seth and Lantern were his trump cards.

For the moment, Kaiba had business to attend to and talking to a telepath was both a nuisance and pointless. Thus, he extended his Shadows hesitantly, careful not to touch anyone in the vicinity, searching for any sign of his brother.

_:Answer me!:_

The brunette stepped forward and Kaiba Traveled to the other end of the hallway, stepping forward and materializing, taking care to keep himself shadowed. As long as no direct light hit him, no one would be able to see anything of him except his outline and blue eyes. Once visible, he stood still, waiting for the women to notice him and make the first move.

The white haired woman noticed him first, turning to him and shifting her weight so she stood battle ready. The brunette was not far behind, taking up a position next to her companion. No one moved.

"Who are you?" the brunette demanded again. "What do you want?"

Kaiba tilted his head. "It's polite to introduce yourself first," he said calmly.

"You trespassed on our home," the white haired woman replied, speaking for the first time. She had an accent that sounded vaguely familiar. "That makes you a threat."

Kaiba said nothing so the brunette woman spoke again. "Are you with Ares?" she demanded, eyes fierce.

 _Ares?!_ Kaiba stiffened. Ares was here?

The woman's stance eased. "You're not," she said firmly, earning a cold glare from Kaiba.

"I dislike telepaths," he said simply.

"And yet you are one," the brunette said.

"The hell I am," Kaiba hissed.

"Then what do you want?" the white haired woman asked, placing a calming hand on her companion.

Mokuba. The thought entered his mind before he could stop it. Mokuba was the reason he had done anything and everything. The brunette's eyes grew wide.

"My god," she murmured. Her eyes clouded as if she was listening to someone far away. "He kept saying you'd come for him," she said after a moment. "I just didn't think you'd get here so quickly."

She knew Mokuba!

"Where is he?" Kaiba demanded, preparing to attack should he need to.

A gentle tug on his Shadows startled him from his focus and he glanced down at his feet to see a tiny strand of Shadow that did not belong to him. It was struggling to hold its form and tugging pathetically at his coat just like Mokuba did when he wanted his big brother's attention.

He knelt and held out his hand for the tiny Shadow thread to touch. It looped around one of his fingers gingerly and pulled gently. The sight and feel brought a spark of hope into Kaiba's chest.

"Mokuba," he breathed.

Throwing all caution aside, he latched his Shadows on the small thread and Travelled to its source. He followed the Shadow tendril deep below the building and into a large, circular chamber. When he reformed he was immediately greeted by three knife-like blades which lightly pricked his throat. His tilted his head back instinctually but could not make any other move without allowing the blades to slice through his skin unless he Travelled again.

His glacial eyes could not see the metal blades themselves but they could see their wielder; a rugged man with black hair and a rough complexion. The man's eyes were wild and animalistic but there was humanity there. His teeth were gnashed together in a snarl which Kaiba could both see and hear. He narrowed his eyes and drew on his own Shadows, ready to defend himself. He had to get to Mokuba.

"Nii-sama!"

Blue eyes grew wide and frantically scanned the room disregarding the threat directly in front of him.

"Don't hurt him!"

Mokuba was here. So close! He was not going to lose him. Not again.

Kaiba jerked his knee up into the other man's groin, catching off guard. The blades fell away from his throat just far enough for him to move. He slammed a fist into the man's jaw and rode through the forward momentum, rotating on his front leg and turning so he could kick with his back foot. But his target was no longer visible.

He had a split second of confusion before his braced leg was kicked out from under him and a hand planted itself on his chest and slammed him to the ground. He landed heavily on his back knocking the air out of him. He was clearly no match for the wild man in strength, but he was lanky and wiry and knew how to handle his body.

He looped his legs around his assailant's back and jerked all of his body weight to the right, rolling the two of them so he was on top. He lifted a fist to punch the man when his attacker threw a fist at him instead. He leaned back, easily out of reach of the man's knuckles. But the next moment, sharp blades extended from the man's flesh and pressed against his neck again. Kaiba froze in surprise just long enough for the wild man to gain the upper hand and switch their positions so Kaiba was again on the floor.

"That's quite enough," a new voice said sternly.

Surprisingly, the wild man backed down, removing his claws from Kaiba's throat slowly before they vanished back into his fist. Instead of marveling at the strange instance, Kaiba glared and punched the man viciously in the jaw, knocking him aside. Without waiting to see what would happen, he scrambled inelegantly to his feet, his eyes focused on the mop of unkept black hair and large dark gray eyes he knew and loved so much.

"Mokuba!" he cried.

"Nii-sama!"

Kaiba fell to one knee and held out his arms for Mokuba to run into. The force with which his baby brother hit him with when he leapt into his arms was enough to propel Kaiba backwards. But he did not mind. He hardly even cared. Mokuba was here, in his arms, safe, right where he belonged.

He heard a shoe scuff behind him and he tightened his grip on his little brother calling his Shadows to him. It was not something he would normally do with such a strong potential nearby, but hardly anything he ever did regarding his brother's protection was within the range of 'normal.' His glacial blue eyes opened and glared at the person who stood where his little brother had been moments ago. Or more accurately, the man who _sat_ where his little brother had been.

The man in question was older, bald, and sat in a mechanical wheelchair. His face was lined with faint wrinkles and laugh lines. His blue eyes twinkled merrily, a perfect match for the gentle smile he gave the brothers.

"Well," the man said. "I must admit, I'm surprised. I was not expecting you to find this place." He held up a hand and gazed at the what was probably the wild man still behind Kaiba. His blue eyes returned to the brothers and softened. "I apologize for the rude welcome. Let's just say, you aren't the first uninvited guest we've had this morning."

"It's okay, nii-sama," Mokuba said softly in Japanese, drawing Kaiba's attention. "He's a friend, I promise. He helped me and Helios." His gray eyes saddened and his dropped his gaze. "Helios is gone. I'm sorry I didn't try to-"

"Ares," Kaiba said, startling his little brother.

"How..."

Instead of answering, Kaiba looped Mokuba's legs around his waist and stood picking up Mokuba and holding him in his arms. Mokuba grinned and burrowed his face in his big brother's neck.

"I see," the older man said. "Pardon my rudeness. I am Professor Charles Xavier and the man behind you is Logan." His eyes gleamed. "Now, why don't you invite your two friends inside so we can talk about this like sane gentlemen instead of brawling like drunkards in a bar."

Kaiba's face remained unmoved but he eased open his connection to Seth and almost instantly regretted it.

 _:You utter imbecile!:_ Seth screamed. _:Do not ever do that to me again! Do you have any idea what that felt like? You gave me no warning. For shame!:_

 _:Lantern?:_ Kaiba asked.

Seth flinched mentally at the name and fell silent. _:He is here,:_ he said finally.

 _:It seems we'll be staying for a while,:_ Kaiba said. He felt Seth's hurt vibrate in his mind and sighed. _:Seth.:_

 _:We'll be at the front door,:_ Seth replied before deliberately blocking Kaiba.

The Regent groaned internally. Today was just not his day.

* * *

 

"Now, now, back off all of you," Pegasus said, stepping forward and pushing away the over excited fans. "You'll see him tomorrow at the tournament. Let him be for now."

He held out a hand and helped Yugi to his feet. The young King staggered to his feet and dusted himself off. J'onn stepped up next to him looking distinctly uncomfortable.

"I...apologize," the disguised Manhunter said awkwardly. "I have never seen... That was..."

"It's okay, J'onn," Yugi said in a reassuring manner. "It happens. I guess I'm famous here too."

A hum interrupted Yugi's musings and reminded him of why he was here. He turned to Pegasus and was surprised to see him staring hard back at him. The creator of Duel Monsters then smiled and held out his hands flamboyantly. "Come, Yugi-boy," he sang loudly. "It's been a long time since we've seen each other. We absolutely _must_ catch up. After all," he said, his one eyes gleaming coldly, "you have some explaining to do."

J'onn was not exactly sure how that particular phrase was intended to be taken, but it was clear Yugi took it as a command and not an invitation. Together, the two of them followed after the man in the glaring red suit. Pegasus's long silver hair hung loose down his back and shifted with ever move he made. It was in pristine condition, smooth and silky, just like his tailored suit. It was...odd.

The Martian followed Yugi and Pegasus into one of the many tents where people were setting up tables and chairs. Pegasus sat down in one of the chairs at the table furthest from the ruckus and waited impatiently for Yugi and J'onn to do the same. The moment they did, however, his gleeful demeanor vanished, replaced by cold distrust.

"Who are you?" he demanded. "You look exactly like my Yugi-boy but you aren't him." He crossed his legs and steepled his fingers. "I happen to know my Yugi-boy is attending a friend's dance recital and won't be able to come until tomorrow. Tell me."

Yugi winced and scratched his head. "Well," he startled, "you see... I _am_ Yugi, just not... _your_ Yugi." Pegasus's eyes narrowed and Yugi tried again. "Look, it's a long story and I don't have much time so I'll try to make this quick. We need you to make more Duel Monsters cards for us."

Pegasus stared at the King blankly before throwing back his head and guffawing loudly and obnoxiously. "You amuse me," he said as he regained control of himself. "Who do you think I am?" he demanded, the hardness returning to his eye. "What do you think I do for a living? I certainly don't sit around eating Bon-Bons all day."

Yugi hung his head. "I'm not doing this very well," he grumbled.

"Perhaps, it would help if I lent a hand," J'onn said.

Pegasus turned his cold gaze on the Martian who glanced around once to be sure no one else was looking before allowing his disguise to melt away, revealing his more natural sea green skin, alien features, and yellow eyes. Pegasus gasped and half stood from his chair staring at J'onn in amazement.

"Who...? What _are_ you?" he gasped.

"I am a Martian," J'onn said simply, reverting to his disguise. "In the reality we come from, such things are not unusual."

"Reality?" Pegasus repeated, his lone eye darkened as he began to understand. He straightened his suit and sat back down, obviously ruffled but not willing to allow something like this get to him. "You mean like an alternate reality?"

"Yes."

J'onn blinked and turned his gaze to where the Pharaoh now stood next behind Yugi. Pegasus's eye bulged and his mouth dropped open.

"It is also where Yugi and I are able to exist together in our own forms, both connected and separate from each other. You can call me Yami," the Pharaoh continued, meeting Pegasus stunned gaze evenly with his own. "Unfortunately, our world, or more specifically the Shadow Realm is under attack and we need your help to defend it."

"Defend the Shadow Realm?" Pegasus gasped. "Whatever for? It's full of Monsters and Beasts perfectly capable of defending themselves. I should know, I made most of them." He huffed and crossed his arms. "Supposing I believe all of this, why come to me, Yugi-boy? Why not go to your Pegasus, hm?"

"Because our Pegasus is dead," Yugi said. "He died when Bakura took the Eye from him."

The Pegasus of this reality hummed and leaned back in his chair. "That would mean my company belongs to someone else." He groaned. "Please tell me it isn't Kaiba-boy. He's a genius and a devil at Duel Monsters but he's nowhere near my level when it comes to creating cards."

Yami huffed a laugh. "Actually, Kaiba absorbed Industrial Illusions into KaibaCorp. He managed to make one card with his powers but only one. No other cards have been made since the last ones from your vault were released."

Pegasus tsked. "How droll," he said in disappointment. "Well, at least your Kaiba-boy admits to believing in magic. That's more than I can say for mine. The prick outright refuses to believe in magic. Fool."

"Ours used to be that way," Yugi admitted quietly. "He didn't have much of a choice after the Shadows chose him as their Regent though."

"Ah," Pegasus said, letting the word linger in the air. "That explains it."

"Explains what?" J'onn asked.

"I was wondering what had happened to the Shadow Realm for a while now but without the Millennium Eye," he lifted his hands and shrugged, "I'm afraid my ability to see directly into the Shadow Realm has greatly diminished. However," he said, resting his palms on his knee and meeting Yugi's and Yami's gazes, "I am very aware of powers that are present there now that weren't there before. Three powers to be precise," he said, holding up three fingers. "Dark," he bent his index finger, "Light," he bent his middle finger, "and Balance," he finished, bending his ring finger. His lone eyes gleamed. "Care to explain?"

"That's why you're taking this so well, is it not?" the Pharaoh said rhetorically.

"I'm the Light," Yugi said. "I'm...well," he blushed. "It's kind of embarrassing but I'm the King of the Shadow Realm now."

"And the Earthbound Shadow Kingdom," J'onn added.

"Ah, yes," Yugi said, rubbing his burning face uncomfortably. "That too."

"I am the Pharaoh of the Shadow Realm," Yami said. "And the Earthbound Shadow Kingdom," he added glancing at the Manhunter. "I'm the Dark. Kaiba is the Regent and the Balance."

Pegasus said nothing. He merely took a sip of wine from a glass goblet and watched them thoughtfully. Yami blinked. Since when did that goblet get there?

"And you need me to make you cards," Pegasus said finally, breaking into Yami's thoughts. "Why?"

"We're under attack," Yugi said. "Someone is stealing our Monsters directly from our cards. He's already stolen Jounouchi's Red Eyes Black Dragon but we know he's taken more than that."

"How?"

"We don't know. But Ishizu had a vision," Yami answered. "If we don't act fast, our enemy will invade our world as well as many others using the Shadow Monsters he's stolen."

Pegasus lifted an eyebrow. "I may not have the ability to read either of your minds anymore," he drawled, "but that doesn't mean I can't tell you're hiding something from me. Come, come, Yugi-boy, Yami-boy. Tell me."

"It's Kaiba," Yugi said hesitantly. "He'll die if we don't do something."

"Kaiba-boy, hm?" The creator of Duel Monsters interlaced his fingers and rested his hand daintily in his lap. "Well, what can my cards possibly do for you? I don't necessarily mind helping seeing as I don't like the idea of my creations being stolen. But I think there's something else you're keeping from me."

"Ishizu asked us to relay a message to you," the Pharaoh said slowly. "I... She wants you to create a card for Kisara."

"Kisara?" Pegasus repeated in confusion.

"The Blue Eyes White Dragon," J'onn said. "Kisara is her name."

Pegasus shook his head. "No," he said. "I made four copies of the Blue Eyes and Kaiba-boy has them all including the one he ripped in two. I won't make any more. If he's lost or damaged the others, than it's his own fault."

"You misunderstand!" Yugi exclaimed. He stood and grabbed Pegasus's shoulders, startling the CEO. "Not Blue Eyes.  _Kisara_. She wants you to make a card for Kisara."

Pegasus blinked. "I don't understand. Who is Kisara?"

"She is the woman who's Ka is the Blue Eyes White Dragon," the Pharaoh said, placing a hand on Yugi's shoulder and pulling away from Pegasus. "She was the lover of my cousin, the High Priest Set, Kaiba's former incarnation. She was murdered in Ancient Egypt and bonded her Ba and Ka together to birth the Blue Eyes as it is now."

"Kaiba needs her," Yugi said. "You should see the way he and Seth look at Blue Eyes. It's painful."

"Seth?" Pegasus asked, intrigued.

"Kaiba's Ba," Yugi said. "The other half of his soul. I don't know how it is here, but in our reality, I'm the Ba and Yami is the Ka of the Pharaoh Atem."

"Ah," Pegasus purred. "So you've discovered your true name in your world, I see."

Yami's eyes darkened. "I take it I have not done so here."

"Not as far as I know," Pegasus said. "I'll keep it a secret if you wish and I'll make you more cards including one for this Kisara woman. I'll even make sure only Kaiba-boy can use her. However," he said, holding up a finger to halt any early celebrations, "I want something in exchange."

Yugi winced. "Like what?" he asked warily.

Pegasus stood and slipped his hands in his pockets. "I want to have a copy of the card your Kaiba-boy managed to make," he said. "I also want to meet Seth and I want to be there when your Seth and Kaiba-boy meet my Kisara." He extended his hand and took a sip of his wine. "Do we have a deal?"

Yugi looked at Yami. Neither of them were sure allowing Seth anywhere near Pegasus was a good idea ever. Not to mention Kaiba would be absolutely furious if that ever happened. But then again...

"Deal," Yugi said firmly.

 _:I hope Kaiba doesn't kill us for this,:_ he added mentally to Yami.


	30. Warnings and Dèjà vu

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Logan receives a warning, Charles puts a name to the Shadows and their users, and the Shadow users leave the Avengers in a tight spot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** Sorry for the delay. I meant to post this Saturday but I've been studying my butt off for my Italian Final tonight at 7pm. It's not going to be fun and I don't fee prepared for it at all. So I'm posting this to feel at least a little productive.

"Now that we've calmed down," Charles said with a wry glance at Jean Gray and Logan from his place at his desk. He turned back to Kaiba smiling at Mokuba still happily in his big brother's arms. "I am glad your big brother found you, Mokuba," he said with a gentle smile. "But I think by now you've told him about Helios. And I believe you," he said turning to Kaiba, "said the name of the man who attack us. Ares. You know him then. Is he an enemy of yours?"

Kaiba lifted an eyebrow and shifted his weight to better hold Mokuba. "Of sorts," he said. "He's an Olympian."

"And Helios is not, I take it," Charles said.

"No."

The door to Charles's office creaked open and in stepped Ororo and a well built black man with bright eyes. The man immediately focused on Kaiba and strode over to his side smiling at Mokuba who waved happily at him.

"Hey Lantern," Mokuba called.

The man, Lantern, grinned. "Good to have you back," he said. "You gave all of us a regular heart attack." He patted Mokuba's back earning him a bright smile as the boy cuddled closer to his big brother.

Logan tensed, his lips peeling back to reveal sharp teeth. Charles noticed the change in mood before the others present did.

"And what of the other person?" Charles asked, cutting into Logan's soft snarl. "I happen to know there were two people outside, not just one."

Kaiba's brows dipped low over his eyes and Lantern stepped back. Mokuba said softly in Japanese, "It's alright. You can trust him."

"Hardly," Kaiba replied in kind. "He's a telepath."

"So is J'onn," Mokuba said earning him a side glare. "And you like him. Besides, Charles helped fight Ares. Nii-sama," Mokuba said, taking a fistful of his brother's coat, "Ares possessed Logan."

Kaiba's eyes grew round and focused on Logan before narrowing and studying the other man closely.

"He also understands Japanese," Mokuba added with a sly grin. Kaiba tensed and Logan snorted.

"And because I am a telepath and Logan allows it," Charles said, "I understood everything you just said."

Kaiba sneered and said something in a language only Lantern and Mokuba recognized and only Mokuba vaguely understood. When Charles's forehead furrowed in confusion, Kaiba grinned.

"I am unfamiliar with that language," Charles said.

"I thought you were a telepath," Kaiba said curtly.

"I do believe in privacy," Charles replied.

Lantern shrugged. "You and J'onn might get along," he said thoughtfully.

"Who else is in here?" Logan demanded abruptly.

Kaiba blinked in surprise. "You can sense him." It was not a question and Logan did not bother answering. "How do you know he's here?"

"I can smell him," Logan said glaring at a spot directly next to Kaiba.

"What does he smell like?" Kaiba asked.

Logan sniffed the air before speaking. "I don't recognize the scent," he admitted.

"Can you follow it?"

Logan tensed when the scent moved around the room. He growled when it settled beside Ororo, glaring at the spot.

Kaiba grinned darkly. "His name is Seth," he said.

He nodded and the scent moved back to Kaiba's side and materialized into almost a carbon copy of Kaiba. There were several visible differences such as Kaiba's skin tone was much lighter than this new person's and his hair was shorter. Also, Seth's style of clothes was distinctly Middle Eastern compared to Kaiba's western style. But otherwise, the two could have been identical twins.

"Seth!" Mokuba cried, reaching out to the Kaiba look-a-like.

Seth smiled and reached out, petting Mokuba's hair fondly. "It is truly good to see you," he said in Kaiba's voice.

"I see," Charles said. "It's good to meet you Seth."

Seth nodded a greeting to Charles but his eyes focused on Logan, his head tilting towards Kaiba as if listening to something. Kaiba's head tilted towards Seth as his eyes also pinned on Logan. Mokuba and Lantern watched the two closely.

"Are you a telepath as well?" Jean asked.

"No," Kaiba said, only just managing to take the bite from his voice. "We can communicate mind-to-mind because of what we are. I'm not a telepath."

"What're you lookin' at?" Logan said coldly, disliking the attention he was receiving.

"You tracked me like a hound," Seth said, "with scent that was both natural and not." His crystalline eyes saddened. "You should be careful not to use that ability too much. It could open the door to abilities you may be less than pleased to have."

Kaiba rolled his eyes and said something in the strange language that made Seth chuckle. "What he means," he said in English, "is that you'd better watch how much you use that little ability of yours."

"That a threat?" Logan snarled.

"Oh god," Lantern groaned. "Not another one."

"It's not a threat," Kaiba said. "I'm giving you the chance to turn back now before you go too far."

Mokuba had been playing tennis with his head between his brother and Logan before his eyes grew large and he gasped. "He's a Shadow user too?"

"Shadow user?" Charles asked. 

Seth twitched, becoming distracted by something. Kaiba glanced at his identical companion before turning back to Charles and answering. "It's the power we use," he said. "It's something only available to humans but the price to use it is high. You're already a potential," he said seriously to Logan. "If you keep using that ability to sniff out Shadow users you will become an active user and then you will answer to me. I'm giving you the chance to back off now."

"I don't answer to anyone," Logan said.

"It's not a choice," Mokuba said suddenly. "Everyone who's a Shadow user answers to either my brother, the King, or the Pharaoh."

"If you manage to touch the Shadows and become an active user, you will answer to us," Kaiba said. "But if you stop using your gift now and never use it again, it will be a non-issue. Which brings to mind," he added, turning to Charles. "What is this place?"

"It's a school for the gifted," Charles said.

"Everyone here's a mutant," Mokuba chirped.

Lantern looked around curiously. "They look fine to me," he said.

"Mutations don't always take a visible form," Charles said. "Most are more subtle."

"They're like metahumans in our world," Mokuba said.

"Metahumans?" Jean asked, stepping closer to Charles.

"Humans who have a special power or ability of some sort," Lantern said. "I'm a metahuman although my power comes from an alien source. Flash, a friend of mine, he has super speed, and then... Well, no, she's actually an alien and all of her people are like that."

"Aliens?" Jean asked incredulously.

"You're doubting after what happened in New York last year?" Logan needled in a friendly fashion.

Jean shrugged. "Just weird, is all," she huffed drawing a chuckle from Charles.

"I take it metahumans are...more welcome in your reality," Charles said.

"For the most part, yes," Lantern replied. "Granted, there are some closed minded idiots out there. But honestly at this point, it would be stupid to reject metahumans because we pretty much form the first line of defense against supervillains and invasions. A group of us formed the Justice League for that very reason."

"I'm sorry," Charles said suddenly. "This is very interesting but I believe someone is trying to contact you."

Kaiba blinked. "What makes you sa-"

"Seto," Seth said. "You feel that?"

Kaiba's face scrunched in concentration, straining to feel what Seth did. He stiffened when he felt what he vaguely recognized as Shaadi's Shadows. They were pleading for help but having trouble piercing the telepathic barrier. He reached out with his own Shadows and tugged them, letting his Advisor know he had received the message.

"Shaadi's calling," Kaiba said. "We need to leave."

"Why? What's wrong?" Lantern asked.

"We could not understand it clearly," Seth said. "But something has happened."

"It would be best if we didn't Travel here," Kaiba said, eyeing Logan. "Lantern, how fast can you take us to New York?"

"You can take an X-jet if you need it," Charles offered, startling the quiet Ororo.

"Charles!" she exclaimed. "We barely know them."

"It's no problem, sir," Lantern said. "If we can get outside, I can get us there faster than your jet can. Though your offer is appreciated."

Kaiba rolled his eyes. "Not you too," he grumbled. Seth chuckled.

"In that case," Charles said smiling, "right this way." He gestured to the door which Ororo opened, keeping a sharp eye on the group leaving and taking a protective position next to Charles.

"What about Helios?" Mokuba asked.

"Yes, about that," Charles said softer. "I'm sorry we couldn't prote-"

"It wasn't your job," Kaiba said, cutting Charles off. "He's under my protection which means he's my responsibility. If Ares has him, then that just gives me another reason to get back home and deal with the bastard."

"Maybe Selene can help," Mokuba said. "If we can find her, she'll definitely help us get Helios back. She can help us fight Ares too."

"We have to deal with Carter Hall first," Seth said grimly. "Otherwise, we may not be here to deal with Ares."

Mokuba wilted but nodded, clinging tighter to his brother.

"Before we go," Kaiba said, turning to Charles. He set Mokuba down on the ground and stood tall before bowing respectfully, his Duel Monsters card locket falling free from his shirt to dangle from his neck. "Thank you for watching Mokuba and Helios where I could not."

Charles smiled and bowed as best he could in his position. "You are welcome," he said politely. "As long as you don't mean harm to my people, you are welcome here."

"Thank you," Seth said.

"One last thing," Kaiba said, straightening. He met Logan's eyes evenly. "I meant what I said. Unless you want the Shadows to own you as they do me and mine, you should curb your ability to scent others. That goes for almost everyone here." He turned to Charles. "With very few exceptions, almost every person here is a latent or potential Shadow user. Protect them and if possible, prevent them from using the Shadows."

"If you use these Shadows yourself, then why are you so desperate to keep the people here from using them?" Charles asked.

"Because once someone touches the Shadows as an active user, they can never survive without them," Seth said. "There is no going back."

Charles gave Seth a knowing look. "There is more to it than that," he said, gently pushing.

"I'll tell you later if I can," Kaiba said. "For now, just keep what I said in mind. Lantern."

"Got it," Lantern said, activating his ring.

Green light encased himself, Kaiba, Seth, and Mokuba and they lifted off the ground and flew away.

"That was interesting," Jean said.

"Indeed," Charles said, hope lining his eyes.

"A world where mutants aren't hated or feared," Ororo murmured.

"Not entirely," Logan said.

"There will always be people who disagree with the norm," Charles said. "That is the way of humans with a free will. But I look forward to speaking with Kaiba again."

"You found him an interesting study," Jean said wryly.

Charles chuckled. "Yes, that's true. But I will miss Mokuba as well. He was a breath of fresh air," he said fondly. "It would be nice to talk to Lantern more as well."

"You just like him because he called you 'sir,'" Logan said.

"A little respect goes a long way," Charles said not bothering to deny it. "Seth however," he added thoughtfully. "I think I could learn a lot from him."

"He smelled old," Logan said. 

"He felt old," Charles said. "And I would suggest you take Kaiba's advice and try to avoid using your ability until we know a bit more about it."

"It bothers you?" Ororo asked.

"Shadowmancy," Charles said seriously, "is never something to toy with idly."

* * *

 

"I demand to speak to the sorcerer responsible for this!"

"Does no ever just drop by to say 'hi' anymore?" Stark asked rhetorically. "Thor, buddy, hate to break it to ya, but this is my place. I can do what I want here without asking your permission."

"I do not speak of this gathering, Man of Iron," Thor said, his voice accompanied by a rumble of thunder as he stalked towards the group. "I speak of the punishment of a prisoner of Asgard, the sorceress Lorelei. Amora the Enchantress has demanded retribution for what has been done to her sister."

"The Bitch has a sister?" Mai wondered aloud. "Hm. Pity."

"Are you the one responsible for this, woman?" Thor growled, leveling a glare at the unimpressed Mai.

"Um, hello," Stark said, stepping between Mai and Thor. "Hi, yes, I suggest you back off. You don't have jurisdiction here, Thor. You may be an Avenger, but you're Asgardian, not human."

"Midgard is one of the Ni-"

"Nine Realms, protector of blah-di-blah," Stark droned. "And yet Asgard doesn't seem to give a shit about us unless we have something they want."

"Besides," Doctor Strange said calmly, "as I understand it, Lorelei's crimes were against Midgardians on Midgard after she escaped an Asgardian prison." He clasped his hands behind his back and stood tall. "She was dealt with here by those she wronged and is now back in Asgard's prisons. Is that not so?"

"It is," Thor grumbled reluctantly.

"Then I don'r see the problem here," Barton said, crossing his arms. "You got what you wanted, we got what we wanted. But then again, you aren't exactly known for the most secure prisons, are you?"

"Clint," Natasha said sharply, "that's enough."

"The hell it is." Barton pushed past his fellow Avengers and walked right up to Thor and glared directly at the Asgardian. "First Loki and now Lorelei. What the hell is with you and mindfuckers? What, they fuck up the minds of their jailers as well? We have a solution for that down here, pal. It's called solitary confinement. No one around to get mindfucked. So Lorelei got busted, she deserved it. Tell her bitch-ass sister to wise up and back the fuck off."

"I understand your words my friend, but-"

"No, you don't," Bruce said. "Clint's got a point. This isn't the first time someone with powers like this has escaped from your prisons and caused trouble here."

"Sif came to take care of her," Thor said fiercely.

"And she did," Arrow said, speaking up. "With our help."

"But only after taking control of some of our people," Mai added snidely. "I am the Sorceress and it was my power that did that to Lorelei."

"Mai!"

"Hush up Arrow," she said, flickering her wrist on the vigilante. "You know it's true." He glanced back at him and winked before turning back to the Asgardian. "But you should know Lorelei's punishment was sanctioned by my Regent."

"Then tell your Regent that he is required to face trial," Thor said.

Mai snorted. "Oh really?" She examined her fingernails, clipping a hangnail with a frown before tossing her hair over her shoulders. "Well, he'll disregard that 'requirement' in favor of doing what he wants."

"Odin Allfather himself has sanctioned this," Thor pressed. "You must obey his commands."

Natasha drew her gun from her holster and held it loosely by her side. "Thor," she said, "where's you hammer?"

Thor's blue eyes gleamed seconds before they turned bright green. "Well," he said in a voice that was distinctly feminine, "that didn't take as long as I thought it would. But no matter."

Thor's form shrank in size and shape until a lovely slip of a woman appeared in his place. She had long hair woven of pure sunlight with soft, pearl white skin and cold emerald eyes that matched her Norse inspired clothes.

"The outcome will be the same," she said in the same voice as the not-Thor. Her inhuman eyes pinned on Mai completely disregarding everyone else present. "You hurt my sister, and you will pay!"

She screeched and blasted the place Mai had been standing with her emerald magic. The Avengers scattered to avoid the blast. Captain America saw the attack coming before the Enchantress engaged and managed to grab Mai and yank her to the ground to avoid being struck.

"Shaadi!" Arrow called. "Get Kaiba and Lantern here now!"

The Advisor immediately retreated towards the windowed wall of the Avengers Tower casting the Spell Swords of Concealing Light to hide his movements. It would both protect him and keep him hidden but would not last very long. Hopefully it would be long enough to summon his Regent and the metahuman.

"Where'd he go?" Falcon demanded as his pulled on his jet pack wings and activated them.

"It's a Spell," Arrow called, reaching for an arrow to fire at the infuriated Enchantress. "It'll keep him hidden and protected for about three minutes."

"And after that?"

"He'll be forced to fight," Arrow replied grimly, firing his first arrow. "He's a better Shadow user than I am, but he's more efficient at defense than offense."

The bolt exploded next to another arrow, this one purple and black. Arrow glanced at Hawkeye, both nodding in mutual respect before firing another volley at the same time. Iron Man joined Falcon in the sky firing repulser blasts at Amora. The Asgardian Enchantress used her magic to shield herself from Iron Man's blasts and Falcon's bullets returning their fire with green energy.

"Doctor Strange," Arrow said, stepping close to the sorcerer. "Do me a favor. Make sure Shaadi is protected."

The Sorcerer Supreme nodded seriously. "I will Arrow. Nothing will happen to him," he said solemnly. "I promise."

"Thanks." Arrow drew his currently empty bowstring back to his ear and whispered his favorite Spell. " _Spell Shattering Arrow_." The glowing bolt materialized knocked on his previously empty string. "Guys!" he called. "Give me a clear shot!"

"Harpie's Brother!" the Shadow Sorceress cried. "Keep her busy."

A dark haired, tan skinned being appeared just above Mai, extended his dark feathered wings, and sped through the air. Something dark and sharp slashed at the Enchantress, leaving claw marks along her back seconds before the Captain's trademark shield struck her in the gut.

"The hell is that?" Stark exclaimed, dodging the dark thing speeding through the air around the Enchantress.

"Don't hit it!" Natasha said. "It belongs to Mai."

"Thing's fast," Falcon said. 

"Hey Bruce!" Barton said when the scientist was beginning to go green. "Relax. We got this. Get inside and see if you can contact SHIELD. Thor's on Earth somewhere. See if you can track him down and get him here."

Bruce staggered under the onslaught from both outside and inside. He gasped when a gentle hand rested on his shoulder. Doctor Strange cast him a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry," the Sorcerer Supreme said. "Just let Director Fury know Amora's here. With Loki here earlier and Thor nearby, he'll know what to do."

Banner gulped in a deep breath of air and focused on calming down. "God I hope this works," he muttered rushing inside to call Fury.

Arrow stood still, his bowstring drawn with the feathers of _Spell Shattering Arrow_ brushing his cheek. He kept the glowing tip trained on the general direction of Amora. She darted through the air attacking the Avengers as she went, never staying still for long. Her attacks were focused on Mai who had thankfully cast her _Rose Whip_ Spell and had joined the Avengers in defense.

The vigilante could not fire his Spell unless he had a clear shot. The last thing they needed right now was the accidental deactivation of another Spell or perceived Spell. So he waited patiently.

Falcon pulled out a gun and fired at Amora forcing her to dodge. Her moves were slower now thanks to the jagged claw marks on her back from Harpie's Brother. Several cracks of another gun resulted in a green barrier appearing in front of Amora, stopping the bullets fired by Natasha and unfortunately an arrow from Barton. Another blast from Iron Man on one side and Doctor Strange on the other caused Amora to dodge directly into Mai's reach. The Sorceress snapped her _Rose Whip_ , looping it around the Enchantress's ankle. The Asgardian screeched in fury and sent a ball of blazing green energy at Mai which Captain America blocked with his shield. Then Harpie's Brother appeared and took clawfuls of yellow hair in his talons and flew upwards. Amora flailed, her hands trying to free her hair.

"Arrow now!" Mai yelled.

Arrow released his Spell and watched it speed towards the Enchantress, striking her in the side and bursting into golden sparks. Instantly, all of Amora's magic vanished including Mai's _Rose Whip_ still looped around her ankle. Amora's eyes bulged and she screamed in fury. Harpie's Brother backwinged to avoid any potential assaults either physical or magical.

"I have got to get me one of those arrows," Barton muttered and Arrow smirked.

Amora fumed. "Executioner!" she screamed furiously. "I need you!"

Arrow was about to ask who the Executioner was when he felt a blast of cold air. He had just enough time to cry out in surprise before he was encased in solid ice.

"Arrow!" Mai cried. " _Harpie's Fea_ -AH!" She shrieked as a blast of wind knocked her off her feet and blew her and the nearby Captain America over the edge of the balcony.

Hearing his mistress's distressed cry, Harpie's Brother detangled his dark talons from Amora's hair and sped through the air down the side of the Avengers Tower. He easily caught up with his mistress and extended his talons, wrapping them around her thin waist. He spread his feathered wings and glided up in a smooth arc to ease the downward momentum. He glanced back in time to see a red and gold blur dive past him disturbing the airflow around him and catching Captain America.

"Nice friend you got there," Iron Man called to Mai as they flew back up to the balcony.

"He's a treasure, isn't he?" she called back with a grin.

Harpie's Brother blushed behind his mask and set his mistress as gently as he could back down on the solid balcony. A bright light in the corner of his eyes drew his rapt attention and he looked up. He growled seeing the large ogre of a man carrying a magic infused ax in one hand and the still temporarily de-powered Enchantress in the other. Amora hissed at his mistress and he hissed back, ruffling his feathers and lifting his wings to appear larger. Then her Executioner raised his ax and sliced through the fabric of dimensions, stepped through with Amora still in his arms, and they were gone.

"Mai!" The Sorceress turned to see Shaadi hurrying towards them. "Are you well?" he asked.

"As well as I can be considering I just fell off a balcony," she replied mildly. "But thanks to my friend here," she smiled and mussed Harpie's Brother's hair fondly, "I'm still one hundred percent."

"Yeah, tell that to your friend," Barton said staring at the still frozen Arrow.

Mai's smile vanished as she approached Arrow's spellbound form. "Is he alright Doctor?" she asked seriously.

"He's alive," the Sorcerer replied as he applied a gentle flow of magic into the ice, melting it. "Just in a stasis persay."

"Can you free him?" she asked.

"I am trying to do just that without hurting him," Strange replied.

Shaadi's eyes grew pained. "I apologize for not helping," he said bowing his head.

"You did what we asked you to do," Mai said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Were you able to contact Kaiba at all?"

"Kaiba?" Natasha asked, coming up to join them.

"Our Regent," Shaadi said, eyeing Mai disapprovingly. She had the grace to smile and blush.

"That's Japanese," Natasha said mildly.

"For seahorse," Mai said cheerfully. "Did you know that in Japanese mythology, seahorses were baby dragons?"

Shaadi blinked. "That... I did not know." He blinked when he felt the Shadows around him seethe in familiar fury. "Although, I am not sure he would agree with the 'baby' part of that," he said.

A beam of green light shot through the air and the ice holding the vigilante suddenly began crackling then burst apart dropping a stunned and shivering archer onto the ground surprising Doctor Strange.

"You are a bit late," Shaadi said.

"I was dealing with a telepath," the Regent said, landing on the balcony with a young boy propped up in his arms holding him tightly around the neck and Lantern by his side as the telltale green light faded from them. "You know how annoying that can be."

"Lantern," Shaadi said, nodding. "Thank you for getting here so quickly."

"What happened?" the boy asked, scrambling out of Kaiba's arms and running from his big brother's side to help Arrow up.

Doctor Strange noticed Kaiba flinch when the young boy escaped him and twitch, obviously wanting to grab the boy and pull him back. This must be the Regent's brother. The doctor could not help but be surprised. He had known the Regent's missing brother was younger, but he never imagined the boy would be this young. Perhaps the boy's lack of height made him appear younger than he actually was.

"Asgardian mage," Arrow said, standing with the boy's help. "Apparently, she's the Bitch's sister."

"Someone like her actually has a sister?" Kaiba asked, finally placing a possessive hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Yeah." Arrow rubbing his arms trying to warm up when he got a good look at the boy who helped him up. "Mokuba?" he gasped.

"Hi!" Mokuba sang, waving exuberantly.

Arrow knelt and mussed Mokuba's hair playfully. "I'm glad you're alright, kiddo," he said. "Nice going," he said to the Regent who just nodded and watched Mokuba like a mother hawk. "But where's Helios?"

"Ares got to him before we could," Lantern said.

"Ares?" Shaadi repeated on confusion. "But he is an Olympian. He cannot travel between realities."

"No," Kaiba agreed. "But the Bastard can."

"You think they're working together," Mai said, stepping forward.

"You know, I really hate being left out of things in my own home," Stark said, landing next to Doctor Strange. "You owe us an explanation, Regent. Or is it Kaiba?"

Kaiba did not dignify Stark with a look. Instead, he studied Harpie's Brother hovering protectively near his mistress. The Monster dipped its head in acknowledgment before shifting closer to Mai's side. The Sorceress smiled and pet the Monster before dismissing him with a blown kiss.

"We need to leave," Kaiba said. "We've been here too long as it is." His glacial eyes gleamed coldly. "And I would have a few words with the King and the Pharaoh."

"Woah, woah, Pharaoh?" Stark exclaimed.

"There hasn't been a pharaoh in Egypt for thousands of years," Captain America said.

"I never mentioned Egypt," Kaiba said.

"You said 'pharaoh,'" Bruce said, stepping out onto the balcony. "I called SHIELD, by the way," he said to Natasha. "Thor's with them. He thought they had the Regent."

"Uh, yeah, I think it's time we left," Lantern said.

"Agreed," Kaiba muttered, pulling Mokuba close.

"I'm ready when you are," Arrow said.

"Hey wait!"

Arrow held up a hand to Kaiba and waited for Barton to come join them. The Avengers' archer glanced at Kaiba hesitantly before speaking to the vigilante. "Thanks for that back there," he said. "I needed it."

Kaiba blinked in recognition. "You're-"

"The guy from the bar, yeah," Arrow said. "Small world." He extended a hand. "Don't worry about it. Maybe we'll get to talk more later."

"Maybe."

Arrow snickered. "Besides," he added with a cheeky grin, "we still have to kill Stark, 50/50 remember?"

"It was 60/40, as I recall," Barton teased.

"Is that what it was?" Arrow teased. "Fine then. 60/40. Nice meeting you Barton."

"Clint," the archer said. "Call me Clint."

"Then call me Oliver," Arrow said.

"Oliver-"

"Wasn't talking to you Stark," Arrow said.

"On that note," Lantern said.

Doctor Strange nodded. "I wish we could have spoken more," he said to Kaiba. "I would enjoy learning more about your power."

Kaiba nodded. "And I would like to know why you have a cache of souls," he said.

Strange winced but nodded.

"Look, this is all very interesting," Stark said. "But I think you still owe us an explanation."

"I believe the answer is 'ask Coulson,'" Kaiba replied.

He placed one hand on Arrow's shoulder keeping the other one Mokuba. Lantern placed a hand on Kaiba's shoulder and took Shaadi's hand. Shaadi grasped Lantern's hand and took Mai's hand with his other.

"Now," Kaiba said with a grin, "if you'll excuse us."

"No, I wo-" Stark froze when the Regent and his group vanished in a whirl of darkness. "...n't," he finished weakly. "Okay, now I'm annoyed."

"You're not alone apparently," Bruce said, pointing to the sky.

Stark and the rest of the Avengers followed Bruce's direction and saw Thor flying through the air behind Mjolnir. The Asgardian prince landed firmly on Stark's balcony and said in a booming voice, "I demand to speak to the sorcerer responsible for this!"

"You have got to be kidding me," Stark groaned.

"I'll leave you to it then," Doctor Strange said calmly. He swept his crimson cape back and levitated briefly before vanishing in a teleport.

"Oh come on!"


	31. Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which heights aren't good and neither is space or the news, but hugs are good.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** Sorry for the delay. Basically, Finals happened, then I got sick the first day after my last Final, mom is family medical emergencies about, and I couldn't go to graduation... STRESS!!! But I'm home now and the stress is mostly gone now. So I finally finished writing this and updated. I'll edit it tomorrow.

"The _heeEEEEEEL_!"

He could not hear anything else over the sound of rushing air and the beating of his own heart as the windows of a skyscraper raced past his eyes as he plummeted to the ground. He flailed frantically hoping something, anything would catch him before he went splat on the ground far below. Then the air around him tinged green and his descent slowed until it stopped. It was only then that he gasped and shook as adrenaline continued to race through his system.

"What the god-fucking hell was that?" Mai exclaimed.

Arrow turned his head to see the Sorceress dangling just a few feet above him in the same spread eagle position. Kaiba hung not to far to her right next to Shaadi. The Regent was clinging tightly to his little brother and staring at the ground far below with wide eyes. Green Lantern hovered somewhat calmly in the middle of their group extending his green light to encase all of them, preventing them from falling.

"Regent?!" Mai demanded urgently.

Kaiba blinked. "I...I just Traveled," he said, still staring at the ground in terrified confusion. "I was only trying to Travel. I don't..."

"We appear to be in the same geographical location as we were when we left," Shaadi said, his voice sounding the calmest so far. His wide orange eyes betrayed his fear, however. "I did nothing. I assume you did nothing either, Mai."

"No way in hell," Mai said, shaking her head emphatically. "Arrow?"

"No," the vigilante called back, swallowing convulsively as his heartbeat slowed to a more relaxed rate. "Lantern?" he asked.

"I didn't do anything except catch you," the metahuman said.

"Yeah," Mai said, calming down. "Thanks for that, by the way." She noticed people staring at them through the windows of the skyscraper and waved with a bright smile on her face. "But I'd be a lot more comfortable out of sight."

"I thought we were going home," Mokuba said, drawing the group's attention. "We are going home, aren't we?"

"Mokuba," Kaiba said slowly. "Did you do anything when we tried to Travel?"

"I helped you," he said in confusion. "Was I not supposed to?"

"How did you help, Mokuba?" Shaadi asked. "Did you use the Shadows?"

Mokuba looked down at the hovering Advisor nearby. "I didn't mean to," he said, his face beginning to burn with shame. "I just figured out how to hear them this morning. They said to go home, so I tried to." He bowed his head. "Sorry."

"You're not in trouble," Kaiba said, shifting to lift his little brother's head so he could see the dark gray eyes he cared so much about. "But I need to know what you did. You said you can hear the Shadows?"

Mokuba nodded, a small smile blooming on his face. "They talk," he said bashfully. "I've never heard them until this morning, but they kept me from getting caught up in the fight between Ares and Helios." He looked up seriously. "They knew Ares was there and tried to get us out, but we weren't fast enough."

"You heard them at Charles's school?" Kaiba pressed.

 _:He was probably affected by the number of latent and potential Shadow users there as much as we were,:_ Seth whispered thoughtfully.

Someone snapped a picture of them inside the building and Mai blushed. "Lantern," she called up in a sing-song voice, "think you could give us a lift somewhere a bit more private?"

Lantern jerked. "Oh! Of course," he said. He tapped his communicator still clipped to his collar and said, "Lantern to Watchtower. We need a lift."

"Lantern!" Flash's voice all but yelled through the tiny microphone. "You're back! Dude, you missed a heck of a lot."

"You can tell us all about it," Lantern said. "But right now, we need a ride."

"Where to?"

"Anywhere but here," he said, lifting an eyebrow.

"Go your coordinates locked," Flash said. "You're in Metropolis?"

"Flash."

"Right, right, sorry, got it. Beaming now."

The group's immediate surroundings faded away to reveal the Watchtower's metal and glass presence. Mokuba groaned and leaned heavily on Kaiba's chest. The Regent staggered and blinked in disorientation while Shaadi clutched his head, his strange eyes squinting like he had a bad headache. Mai wobbled and almost fell to her knees, leaning heavily on Arrow who shook his head as if trying to clear it.

"Hey," Flash said, stepping up. He noticed the state of the group and gasped. "Woah! You all okay? What's wrong?"

"Not here, you idiot," Kaiba said through gritted teeth. "KaibaCorp Tower, Domino City, Japan. Now."

"But you just got he-"

"NOW!"

"Alright! Alright!" Flash said, waving his hands and rushing back to the control panel.

It took a few seconds to find the KaibaCorp Tower's coordinates, enter them, and activate the teleporter, adding himself to the group to be transported. When they reappeared in the business tower, Kaiba almost immediately straightened and looked around. Mai sighed and rubbed her temples gingerly while Arrow looked around, blinking dumbly. Shaadi shook his head once and hurried over to his Regent's side, helping him make sure Mokuba was alright.

"Okay," Flash said, stepping next to Green Lantern who appeared just as confused as the other Justice League member. "What the hell just happened?"

"You took us into space," Kaiba snapped.

"Well yeah," Flash said as if speaking to a child. "The Watchtower _is_ in space."

"Our powers are Earth based," Kaiba clarified in the same sarcastic tone. "For someone like us, going into space where there are few humans and thus few Shadows with little to no warning can cause a strain."

"It's like having someone pull your hair," Mai said. "The further away you get from them, the more it hurts until strands start pulling out."

"It is...disorienting," Shaadi said.

"Here here," Arrow said. "I am so glad I don't have to go there very often."

"You were fine the first time we brought you there," Flash said to Kaiba.

"I was unconscious if you remember correctly," Kaiba corrected. "For a good while, too. Especially since you took my Deck from me," he added with a glare.

He gently set Mokuba on the ground. The younger Kaiba grumbled and stubbornly held on to his brother, refusing to stand on his own. After a few failed attempts, the older brother gave in and simply stood and shifted Mokuba to a more comfortable position on his hip.

"Okay, point," Flash conceded.

They walked into the building and were suddenly beset by startled businessmen and women in the entryway. Directly across from the glass doors in the middle of the large atrium was a circular desk with two women and a man standing behind it. The first two floors of the KaibaCorp building were accessible by the two escalators on either side of the atrium and open to the public.

The first floor was mainly an open floor plan with the information desk in the middle surrounded by scattered tables and chairs, benches, upholstered chairs, and lots of outlets for computers and phones. The second floor appeared to be mainly a cafè serving hot beverages and food for employees and the occasional visitor.

"Kaiba-sama!" came a chorus of voices startling everyone but the KaibaCorp CEO.

"Back to work, all of you," he said in curt Japanese. "The day's not over."

Immediately, the employees bowed their heads and hurried back to work.

"Whatever you just said," Lantern said, watching the employees run around in fascination, "you could have said it a little gentler maybe."

"Hardly," Kaiba said in English. "I'm young. They know that. If I'm not careful, I could lose their respect which could easily lead to espionage. I can't afford that, not in this industry."

He continued walking across the floor to the elevator on the far side. He placed his hand on the pad and waited while it scanned his fingerprints before shining bright green. The bell dinged and the doors opened allowing the group access.

Once everyone was inside, the doors closed and Kaiba said, "My office."

"Who're you-"

"So rude, otouto-kun," Noa's voice chimed, interrupting Lantern.

"Noa?" the metahuman asked.

"Oh, hi Lantern," Noa said, appearing on the screen directly above the floor buttons. He smiled and waved. "Good to see you again. Gotten any better at Duel Monsters?"

"You play?" Kaiba asked mildly.

"Not well, no," Lantern admitted.

"He's teaching me though," Flash said grinning. "Maybe we can have a playoff or something," he said to the blue haired boy on the screen. "Nothing serious. Just a teaching game or two."

Noa smiled. "I'd like that." He noticed Mokuba standing by his big brother and his smile grew. "Mokuba! You're back."

"Of course I am," Mokuba said happily.

"Yeah, I should of known," Noa said laughing with Mokuba. "I take it Helios is back too?"

Mokuba's eyes darkened. "No," he said. "But he will be."

Noa nodded grimly and looked back up at Kaiba. "By the way," he said, "you'll need to plug your phone into the mainframe when you get to your office. I gotta update it."

"How long will it take?" Kaiba asked, pulling out his phone.

"About five minutes or so."

Kaiba nodded and leaned back against the glass side of the elevator as it moved up through the tube. He glanced over his shoulder just as Mai stepped up to join him, sighing at the view.

"I miss Domino," the Sorceress said. "It's always so pretty this time of year. The trees in the parks are changing, kids are back in school, the air gets cooler... I love Fall."

"I thought you were fond of Spring," Shaadi said, cocking his head to the side.

"I'm fond of the cherry blossoms," she corrected, holding up a finger. "The pollen hates me so I hate Spring."

"Ah."

"Okay," Flash said. "So when are we going to talk?"

"As soon as we're in my office," Kaiba replied.

Flash looked back at the digital counter above Noa's screen counting up the floors they had passed before settling on thirty-nine. The bell dinged and the doors opened to a large office. The far wall was lined with floor-to-ceiling windows with a single, sleek, modern glass and metal desk set in the very center of the wall. A smaller desk sat by the left wall and a large table with a scale model of Domino City under a glass case sat by the far right wall.

Kaiba walked straight up to the desk by the windows and plugged his phone into something the group could not see. Lantern and Flash followed Mai, Shaadi, and Mokuba further into the room only to pause when they noticed Arrow was still standing by the elevator.

"Hey, buddy," Flash said, nudging the vigilante, "you okay man?"

"I..." Arrow shook his head slowly. "It's exactly like your soul room," he said softly.

"It reflects part of who he is," Shaadi said as the vigilante pushed back his hood and ran a hand through his short hair.

"Yeah," Oliver said. "I can see that."

"You should call your friend, Diggle," Kaiba called. "He's probably waiting to hear you're back."

"And pay international fees?" Oliver said.

Kaiba's lips twitched upwards. "You're complaining about money?" he teased.

Oliver shrugged. "You're richer than me," he said with a cheeky grin. "Besides, isn't it the host's job to offer assistance to his guests?"

"Only when they need it."

"You're going to make me ask, aren't you?"

Kaiba smirked and sat down at his desk, interlacing his fingers together and rested his chin on them. He lifted an eyebrow and waited until Oliver sighed.

"Can I borrow your phone?" he asked, a smile still tugging at his lips.

Kaiba merely glanced down at the phone on his desk while Mokuba snickered from his position near his big brother's desk. Oliver rolled his eyes and walked up to the desk, gestured to the phone with a comical expression to which Kaiba sneered. Snorting, Oliver plucked the phone from its set and began dialing while walking over to the table with the scale model of Domino City.

"Well, I'll be damned," Mai murmured.

"Indeed," Shaadi said. "It is rare to see you exhibit such...playfulness."

"Shut up," Kaiba snapped.

"It was kinda cute," Mai teased gently.

"I hate to break the mood here," Flash said, stepping forward, "but I got some bad news."

"If you mean to tell me the King and the Pharaoh are gone, then don't bother," Kaiba said, any trace of his smile gone.

"They're gone too?" Mokuba asked.

Kaiba pushed his chair back far enough to allow his little brother to crawl up and sit in his lap without loosing his serious expression. "I knew the moment they left," he said. "I will personally beat their asses for doing that."

Everyone paused when the soft sound of a distinctly angry voice drifted over to them. They looked over to Oliver who was sheepishly holding the phone a good foot or so from his ear with a pained expression on his face. Mokuba and Mai giggled and even Kaiba's lip quirked.

"That was part of it, yeah," Flash admitted, scratching his head awkwardly. "The rest of it was that-"

The elevator dinged suddenly, interrupting him again. Kaiba blinked in confusion and leaned around the group to see who Noa had allowed up to his office. The doors opened and the Isono cousins rushed in. Kaiba stood from his chair letting Mokuba stand beside him and waited. But whatever he had been expecting, it was definitely not what he got.

His eyes grew round, his mouth opened, and his body stiffened in shock when he was suddenly embraced by a pair of strong arms which clamped against his back and held him close. He had no idea what to do or how to react except stand there dumbstruck. It took several seconds for him to recognize this as a hug and only then did he hesitantly hug back. His return embrace was nowhere near the strength and voracity as Roland's, but it meant more to the man who helped safeguard Kaiba's life and sanity than any fancy words possibly could.

Mokuba was not as hesitant as his big brother. He all but jumped into Isono Fuguta's arms, squealing happily when the man knelt down and pulled the boy into a tight hug. He dug his smaller fingers into Fuguta's jacket before flailing and pushing away. Confused, Fuguta eased off just long enough for Mokuba to get comfortable before he hugged him again.

Mai smiled and wisely remained silent. Seeing Kaiba be hugged by anyone other than Mokuba and actually hug back -willingly!- was a miracle even she never dreamed of witnessing. Shaadi appeared generally unruffled aside from the soft smile he wore. Lantern and Flash glanced at Oliver who was still on the phone but seemed focused on the scene unfolding in front of him. All three of them felt like they were seeing something that felt like it should be private. It was personal.

Then it was over. Roland stepped back and gripped Kaiba's arms firmly and gazed at Kaiba with misty eyes, a proud smile on his face. "I'm glad you're back, Kaiba-sama," he said in soft Japanese. "Welcome home."

The faintest hint of color blossomed in Kaiba's cheeks as he replied in the same, soft Japanese. "I'm home." Deep in his mind, he felt Seth's warm, proud smile and cautiously allowed himself to crack a true smile. It still felt fragile, unsure, and unpracticed, but it was real and heartfelt and that was all that mattered.

Roland smiled and fought back tears when he saw the smile. He patted Kaiba's arm in what could easily be seen as a fatherly gesture before turning and giving a similarly heartfelt welcome to Mokuba. Kaiba composed himself and turned back to the group, noticing their expressions and glaring at them with much less venom then usual.

"You were saying?" he prompted Flash.

The speedster jolted at suddenly being spoken to. He hesitated, struggling to remember where he left off before snapping his fingers. "Right. Um, Hawkgirl's teamed up with Ishizu, Marik, and the Bakura twins. They're making life difficult for the dig."

"Good," Kaiba said.

"They may have exposed the Court, though," Flash said quickly. "Maybe. Possibly."

Kaiba grew very still, very gently place his hand on his desk centimeters away from a Blue Eyes White Dragon figurine. Flash braced for the inevitable impact when Kaiba finally threw the object or something like it. He could not decide if he was impressed or disconcerted when the CEO deliberately took a deep breath in and removed his hand from the desk, stuffing both hands in his pockets.

"I leave for two days," he muttered.

"What about Helios?" Flash asked. "Why isn't he with you? I thought he vanished too. How did you even- How did you get to another reality in the first place anyway?" he directed at Mokuba.

Mokuba blinked and flushed. "I...I was falling. I don't remember. I just...I just wanted to be...somewhere else," he said quietly.

"It's likely he tapped into Ra-Horahkty's power without realizing it," Kaiba said. "I can do it with Obelisk if I focus or feel threatened enough. So can Yugi and Yami." He gazed at his little brother thoughtfully. "Ra-Horahkty is the Creator God, the most powerful of the gods. Obelisk, Ra, and Osiris worship her. It would make sense if she had the power to traverse realities on her own just like Obelisk helped us to. But where I have to draw on Obelisk's power either by directly channeling him or calling Court, Mokuba can do it simply by focusing on something hard enough."

"So...it was my fault?" Mokuba asked, eyes wide and ashamed.

Kaiba's eyes sharpened. "Did you bomb the event?" he demanded coldly.

"No! I-"

"Did you shoot me?"

"No!"

"Did you start digging up my tomb?"

"Ew. No!"

Kaiba smiled softly. "Then it's not your fault. You just discovered a power you didn't know you had."

"Like how I can hear the Shadows now?" Mokuba asked, excitement returning.

Kaiba nodded and Mokuba felt a swell of pride. "Just don't go using it on a whim," Kaiba said. "The last thing we need is more excitement right now."

"Well actually," Flash said hesitantly. "That's the _other_ other thing I gotta tell you."

"And what would that be?" Oliver asked, replaced the phone in its stand and trying not to rub his ringing ear.

Flash took a deep breath. "Wonder Woman's been keeping an eye out for any activity in the supernatural world and -wow, the fact I can say 'supernatural world' without any hesitation is incredible- anyway, she said that several pantheons have been much more interactive than normal lately."

"What does she mean by 'normal'?" Lantern asked. "Don't pantheons usually keep to themselves?"

"They do, yeah," Flash said. "That's why she noticed. Apparently there was this big 'Hunt' thing," he said, using air quotes, "which normally draws in several pantheons just for the night. But this time the Hunt went much further and lasted much longer than usual. They made it all the way to Japan. There's also been a flurry of activity on Olympus. I think she said Ares might me back."

"Ares?" Kaiba demanded.

"Hey, I literally just hung up with her when Lantern contacted me so I didn't get the chance to double check," Flash said, holding up his hands in a placating gesture. "I can try to call her back and see what else I can get."

"Or," a new voice said, "you could hear it from the horse's mouth."


	32. Monarch e Monarch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Team Stop-the-Dig finds out their Regent is back and the Regent gets a most unexpected visitor who may or may not be friendly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** This chapter is a bit on the short side and I apologize for that but it's been a long day and I'll be working 10-5 or so every weekday from now on if I can. So I'll be writing and updating this fic in the evenings as usual. My goal is to return to my one chapter a day or two pattern it was in Fall last year but we'll. The title is a play on the phrase "mano e mano" meaning "man to man." I'll edit this tomorrow before or after work. In the meantime, goodnight and enjoy~

"He's back!"

"I beg your pardon?" Marik exclaimed, startled awake from his Spellcasting trance.

He and Ryou turned around to see Ishizu's frazzled appearance as she burst into their tent. Her hair was frizzed and flying in every which way, her clothes were rumpled, and her eyes were wide.

"He's back," she said more calmly. She quickly began straightening herself up. "The Regent," she clarified. "He's back."

"Shit," Marik huffed, gathering up his things. He pushed passed his sister and raced outside to get a clear look at the archeological dig in the valley. They had decided to set up a separate camp overlooking the dig to show their separation, keep an eye on the progress, and intercept any potentially damning information from getting in or out of the dig's camp.

"Where?" Ryou asked more politely.

"I'm not sure," Ishizu answered, pushing her long black hair back over her shoulders. "I felt him come back and he has Mokuba but I'm not exactly sure where he is."

Ryou sighed in relief, a bright smile on his face. "Oh good." He blushed and scratched his head awkwardly. "I don't know why I'm relieved," he said. "I knew Mokuba would be okay."

"Because that idiot was involved," Bakura said, materializing next to Ryou. "Our monarchy has a habit of attracting the weird, dangerous, and insane." He looped an arm around Ryou and sighed. "That's why they need us to pull them out of the holes they dig."

"Always," Ryou groaned good naturedly.

"But now that the King and Pharaoh are off gallivanting in another reality as well," Bakura said sarcastically, "dear, oh dear, whatever shall we do?"

"I'll try to contact him," Ishizu said. "Carter thinks he's helping Kaiba by unearthing Set's tomb. It's a twisted form of worship. Maybe that means he'll listen to Kaiba if we bring him here."

"You think that's a good idea?" Shayera asked, stepping into the tent behind the Priestess. "Wouldn't that make his condition worse?"

"Maybe, maybe not," Bakura replied. "If the spirit or spirits inside the tomb are restless, than yes, disturbing them could get deadly fast. But since the spirit in question is Set who is currently both Kaiba and Seth, I'd say death is imminent."

"Who's death?" Hawkgirl asked hesitantly knowing she would not like the answer.

Bakura grinned viciously and surprisingly, even Ryou's smile looked malicious, but maybe it was just the light casting creepy shadows across his face. "Why Carter Hall's, of course," Bakura purred.

Shayera was very careful to control her reaction to the news. Even though she suspected it and she had no true connection to Carter Hall, her memories of her previous incarnation still had feelings for Katar Hol. As she was now, Shayera wanted to keep Kaiba safe but she also wanted to keep Carter alive.

"Will that really be necessary?" she asked keeping her voice calm and even.

Bakura shrugged casually. "If nothing happens to the Regent and the Shadows allow it, I _suppose_ we'll let him live."

Shayera sent up a quick prayer for nothing else to happen.

* * *

 

Faster than Kaiba could react, Roland had positioned himself between the intruder and the young CEO and Fuguta had stepped in front of Mokuba who inched closer to his big brother's side. Both bodyguards had their weapons drawn and stood ready to defend their charges. Oliver had an arrow knocked on his bowstring, the tip trained at the intruder. Green Lantern and Flash both whirled and took up similar attack positions. Mai rested a hand over her Deck and crouched, ready to defend herself and her Regent. Shaadi, Mai noticed with interest, actually looked surprised.

Instead of attacking, however, the intruder laughed. He threw back his head so his moon white hair hung back off his forehead from the confines of an intricately twisted holly coronet and laughed merrily. His black clothes stood in stark contrast to his pale skin and hair. He wore a long, black, long-sleeved coat with white piping and a white lining on the inside. The white lining showed in the glimpses of the tails of his coat and the folded over style of the coat collar. Gold chains hung from gold buttons on the collar around the black coat shoulders and chains hung from the man's waist. Black pants and boots were just visible beneath the coat.

"That was hilarious," he crowed in his accented voice. "You should have seen yourselves. You all jumped faster than a squirrel." His 'r's' rolled and his voice flowed up and down, accenting syllables in a pattern reminiscent of rolling hills.

"Who the hell are you?" Kaiba demanded coldly, placing a firm hand on his little brother's shoulder. "And what do you think you're doing in my office?"

"What?" the person asked playfully, his crimson eyes studying the group. "Not going to ask how I got in here?" He waited for a moment in silence before shrugging. "You could have at least played along." Kaiba narrowed his eyes dangerously and the newcomer sighed gustily in resignation. "Fine. Be boring."

"Who are you?" Lantern demanded.

The person waved his hand dismissively. "Boring," he said. "But, if you insist." He grinned in much the same way a predator would to its cornered prey and said, "You can call me Holly King, King of the Unseelie Court in the East. It's my title. I don't know you well enough to give you my name, let alone my _true_ name."

"Holly King?" Flash repeated incredulously. "What? You mean like 'Deck the Halls with boughs of holly' Holly King?"

The Holly King actually looked offended. "I predate that song," he said almost petulantly. "At least the song's origin is the same as mine."

"And that would be?"

"Welsh," the Holly King said, his teasing smile returned. "Now, while this may be vastly interesting to you, I'm afraid I'm not here for you." He looked directly at Kaiba and smirked. "Set, I believe."

"Who's asking?" Kaiba said curtly.

"You must be deaf," the man said. "I did say I'm the Holly King."

"That title means nothing to me," Kaiba shot back, glacial eyes cold.

The Holly King sighed. "Honestly, I expected more from you," he said sadly. "Are you really going to spend your precious time asking my name or do you want the good stuff?"

"Good stuff?" Flash muttered.

Kaiba stepped around Roland and strode to the front of his group ignoring the warning stares of his bodyguards. He planted his feet shoulder width apart, crossed his arms over his chest, and leveled an icy glare at the impertinent intruder. "I'm listening," he said curtly.

The Holly King grinned. "Now you are," he purred. "You're interesting, Set."

"I'm not Set."

The Holly King blinked in surprise. "You're not?" He tilted his head in confusion. "I thought Helios was under your protection. He is, isn't he? That's what the Tsukuyomi told us."

"The who?" Arrow asked.

"Tsukuyomi," Mokuba said, stepping out from behind Fuguta to watch his brother. "The Shinto god of the moon."

"Yes, him," the Holly King said. "Someone under my protection went to ask him for assistance with a little," he tilted his head to the side with a sneaky sparkle in his eye, "game we're playing."

"I have no interest in games involving other gods," Kaiba said dismissively.

"Aw, don't be like that," the Unseelie King said. "Did I forget to mention the person seeking the Tsukuyomi's help was a woman by the name of Selene?" Kaiba stilled, his eyes widening with interest and the Holly King preened. "Perhaps I should've said that earlier." He hummed. "Selene has been under both my and my fellow Oak King's protection for about a year now. She decided to take a stand for herself after the sun began misbehaving. Apparently even the Shinto Amaterasu has noticed it."

"The sun?" Kaiba echoed in confusion.

"What do you mean 'misbehaving'?" Mai asked suspiciously.

"There've been sunspots out of season," Flash said, "numerous solar outbursts, many stronger than average, for the past couple days now." He turned to Kaiba. "Since Helios and Mokuba vanished."

"Vanished, you say?" the Holly King asked. "Well, well, now that's an interesting tidbit of information there. I'm sure Selene would like to know that little something."

"He was taken by Ares," Kaiba said, a cold, furious fire burning in his eyes.

"Yes, I figured," the Unseelie said, "what with the sudden burst of excitement on Olympus. So," he said loudly after a moment of considering silence, "what do you plan to do about it?"

"What do you mean?" Kaiba said suspiciously.

"Well, Helios was under your protection," the Unseelie said, shrugging, "and he was stolen from you. Don't you want him back?" he asked slyly.

"What are you offering?" the CEO demanded.

"My help," the Holly King said, "and that of my Court as well as the Seelie Court, the Japanese pantheon, and, if they decide to join in on the action, the Norse pantheon. Not to mention Selene's help. Titans are so few and far between these days. I hear the humans consider it cruel to let an endangered species go extinct."

"Why has Selene suddenly decided to take action?" Oliver asked, intrigued. "It's been a year since she went into hiding."

"She's pregnant," was the simply reply.

Kaiba's eyes grew round but it was Mai who spoke. "Pregnant?" she whispered.

"Yes," the Holly King said seriously. "It was a surprise to her as well, but she intends to do anything and everything possible to ensure this child's survival."

"Good," Mai said. "She's got my support."

"Mine as well," Shaadi said suddenly. "I respect her bravery and her brother is a fascinating companion. I would not mind meeting her as well."

"Since when do you go making decisions like that without my permission?" Kaiba hissed.

"Since I had free will," Mai replied. "Besides, you were already planning on fighting Ares to get Helios back anyway. Why say no to backup?"

"So you _were_ planning something that foolhardy!" the Holly King cheered in gleeful surprise. "I guess I won that bet."

"What bet?" Lantern asked.

"The Oak King and I had a bet that you were planning something stupid involving the Olympians," the Unseelie said smugly. "I bet you were, he bet you weren't."

"Pity," Kaiba said. The Unseelie hummed in question and the Regent smirked. "I would've enjoyed seeing that face wiped clean."

Instead of taking offense like others expected, the Holly King cackled. "I stand corrected," he said proudly. "You _are_ amusing. You could keep me from boredom for a good long while."

"You call his plan stupid and foolhardy," Shaadi said calmly, "and yet you also wish to storm Olympus."

"Not storm, no," the white haired Unseelie corrected. "Selene has asked us for a favor and I and my people seek to fulfill it. If I get to enjoy making that fat ass Zeus squirm, then by all means. I look forward to it."

"What do the Japanese have to do with any of this?" Oliver asked, his arrow back in his quiver and his bow hanging ready at his side just in case.

The Unseelie preened. "Now we get to the exciting part," he said. "I know you're fairly new to all of this," he said, approaching Kaiba at a steady pace, "but you are aware pantheons tend to keep to themselves."

"I am," the Regent replied.

"And you know it's considered an act of war for a pantheon to deliberately attack someone of something under the explicit protection of another pantheon," he pressed, moving closer.

"Yes," Kaiba said, not intimidated by the Unseelie's approach.

"Then think carefully," the Holly King said, stopping just a foot from the Regent. "You are the Egyptian god Set and yet you were reborn as a Japanese citizen, trained in both the modern and traditional ways of life. You respect and honor your heritage and all that comes with it. You firmly think of yourself as Japanese, not Egyptian despite being who you are."

"Set was Egyptian," Kaiba said. "I'm his-"

"Reincarnation," the Holly King said. "You are and are not Set. Because of that, you and your brother," he added, glancing briefly at Mokuba, "are under the protection of the Japanese pantheon." The Fae watched Kaiba's eyes widen in shock. "As long as you aren't acting for your Egyptian pantheon but as Seto Kaiba," he continued, "the CEO of Kaiba Corporations, you are protected by the Japanese." A sly grin split his face with glee. "And while the first time Ares attacked you, you were conducting formal Egyptian pantheon business," the smile now showed a row of sharp, white teeth, "the second time, you were acting as Seto Kaiba. That means Ares declared war on the Japnanese pantheon by attacking you personally."

"My god," Lantern breathed.

"Thank you, Set, Seto, or whatever name you currently prefer," the Unseelie King said in dark glee. "You have given me chaos and in return I'm offering you my gratitude and assistance. For someone who's both immortal and invulnerable like me, life can too often become dull and monotonous. But your appearance has definitely brought some much needed spice. The world of pantheons has stagnated. You've stirred the pot like a master chef and left it to recover on its own."

His smile softened as he leaned away from Kaiba and sighed. "Believe me when I say, I look forward to working with you," he said, sweeping an elegant bow. Kaiba barely had time to acknowledge the bow before the Unseelie vanished, reappearing pressed to his chest, much too close for comfort, and whispered directly in his ear, "Arawn of Annwn. That is my name."

Then he was truly gone.

"Well," Flash said to the stunned Regent, "I'll give ya this. There're no shortage of surprises around you."


	33. Lullaby and Goodnight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Court is short, pillow talk happens, girl talk is serious business, and much more than a battle is lost.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** So, I have come to the realization that no matter how much I plan, my characters will continually do their own thing whether I like it or not. I'm...not sure how I feel about this. I'll edit it tomorrow after I've recovered from this. Oh, and I'm sorry ahead of time. ...please don't kill me...

"How far have they gotten?"

"That's it?" Mai demanded. "That's all you have to say? No 'hi, how are you? How has everything gone? Did you miss me?' Anything?"

"It's alright, Mai," Ishizu said, waving the Sorceress back. "I anticipated this." The Priestess turned back to her Regent and said calmly, "My clan has effectively cut the dig off from any communication or trade with the outside and confused anyone brave enough to approach. Already, there are rumors spreading of a curse."

"Encouraged by your people, I assume," Kaiba said.

Ishizu nodded. "Many of them were started by us. If this works, no one will dare approach this place again."

"That still leaves the small problem of there being people there now," Mai grumbled.

"Yes," Ishizu said morosely. "Despite our efforts, Mr. Hall and Mr. Bakura have-"

"Mr. Bakura?" Kaiba gasped.

"Ryou's estranged father, yes," Ishizu said. "He is here and apparently backing Mr. Hall up with the dig. The Thief gave him a good tongue lashing as did Ryou, surprisingly enough. But he appears generally unmoved by the show. He and Carter both refuse to back down."

"Commendable, except in this case," Kaiba muttered, pressing two fingers to his temple and rubbing. "I assume that's what Flash meant when he said you 'may have' revealed the Shadow Court's existence."

"It is," Ishizu said unrepentantly. "I'd rather you be alive to yell at me than be dead."

Kaiba's eyebrow twitched in annoyance but he held his tongue. Now was not the time for infighting. "And the King and Pharaoh," he said." "Did they give you any advance warning before leaving?"

"They did. I encouraged them," she said, earning herself a glare from her Regent. Unruffled by the glare, she continued. "They have gone to speak to a Pegasus from another reality."

"Pegasus?" Shaadi gasped.

"After everything he did to us," Kaiba snarled, "you would dare ask that godforsaken _dead_ bastard for help?"

"Yes."

"Why?!" Kaiba demanded furiously.

"Because we need him," Ishizu said plainly. "You were only able to create one card and the King and Pharaoh were unable to make any." Her dark blue eyes narrowed. "We _need_ more cards if we are ever going to continue protecting the Shadow Realm and stay on top of what is happening in the Duel Monsters world." One of her finely trimmed eyebrows lifted in a perfect arch. "We wouldn't want the Duel Monsters fad to fade, now would we?"

Reluctantly, Kaiba admitted to himself that no, he did not want it to end. He could not afford for it to end. It was his kingdom, his favorite pastime, and one of his main sources of revenue. Duel Monsters had to continue, which meant he had to stop all of these crazy shenanigans and get back to brainstorming ideas to keep it interesting, produce those ideas, and sell them effectively. But still...

"He's a snake," Kaiba hissed. "Considering they did it without telling me while I was gone implies they went behind my back. In some cases, that could be considered a betrayal of trust."

"A necessary act, I assure you," Ishizu insisted.

She dismissed Kaiba who growled, incensed, and focused on Shaadi. She smiled gently and reached out her hand, inviting him to take it. The Advisor took her hand tenderly and blushed, the slightest smile tugging at his lips.

"I'm glad you're home," she said gently.

"As am I," he replied.

"Aww," Mai purred.

"Ew, gross," Mokuba squealed, covering his eyes and hiding behind his big brother's pants.

"Oh hush," the Sorceress said, waving a dismissive hand at the little Keeper.

"Use a phone," Kaiba snapped. "I don't have much time and Court is neither the time nor the place for this."

Ishizu rested her forehead against Shaadi's briefly before stepping back and folding her hands. "However much I hate it, you're right," she said.

"I'm glad we agree on something," Kaiba said sarcastically.

"They've removed the seal on the tomb."

"They've- what?" The Regent's eyes grew large and Seth materialized next to him, his dark face equally disturbed.

"How?" Seth asked. "We felt nothing."

"Because they didn't break it," Ishizu said. "They literally removed it. The seal itself is now in one of the tents, probably tagged and being prepped for storage. They've entered the main chamber." She bowed her head. "It seems more of the Spells and Traps inside are defunct than we thought. I'm sorry."

"What about the Justice League's pet bird?" Kaiba demanded. "Hasn't she been helping?"

"She has been," Ishizu insisted. "She has refrained from outright attacking the people because she does still represent the Justice League even if she's acting on her own. She was able to speak to Carter Hall but..." She shook her head incredulously. "Kaiba, he thinks he's helping you."

The Regent and his Ba flinched. "Helping us?" Seth breathed. "How?"

"He's not...sane," the Priestess admitted. "He thinks by opening your tomb, he'll bring knowledge of yours and Atem's reign in predynastic Egypt to the modern academic world. He wants the world to acknowledge and worship Set. He thinks this will make that happen."

"That ridiculous!" Kaiba exclaimed fiercely.

"Yes," Ishizu said coldly. "I'm well aware. But as I said, I do not believe Carter is sane. He may very well be completely _in_ sane."

"And Mr. Bakura's presence isn't helping anyone, I bet," Mai said coldly, crossing her arms.

"Agreed," Ishizu muttered. "He stands by Carter in every way. It's been since he arrived that most of the advances have occurred. It's possible he may be the one behind this whole mess. From what I and Shayera have been able to understand, Carter seems driven to find the burial chamber and it would make sense if Mr. Bakura was Carter's backer in more ways than one."

Kaiba sighed and massaged his temples. "I don't need this right now," he muttered.

Seth rested a hand on Kaiba's shoulder in a comforting manner, wincing when he felt the growing headache pulsing in his Ka's mind. "Have they slowed down work for tonight?" he asked.

Ishizu nodded. "From what we can see, yes," she said. "But the Shadows in the tomb won't allow us entrance by Shadow Travel. That part of the Spells still works it seems. Bakura and Ryou are currently keeping an eye on Carter and Mr. Bakura the old fashioned way. They will alert me if anything changes." She took in Kaiba's exhausted countenance and sighed. "Rest for tonight," she said gently. "We need you at full power."

"We may not get that chance," Seth said. "We received a visit from someone calling himself the Holly King."

"Holly King?" Ishizu repeated curiously.

"He is the King of the Unseelie," Shaadi said. "From what he said, he is both immortal and invulnerable."

"A god then," the Priestess murmured.

"Of sorts," Mai said. "I've read some fantasy books after all," she said with a wink, "and while I have absolutely no idea what a 'Holly King' is, I do know what the Unseelie are. They're more commonly called the Dark Court. They're Dark Fae mostly from British and generally European mythologies. They're usually depicted as evil in fantasies but it seems the definition of 'evil' varies with them. Even the Seelie, or Light Court, are known for causing problems."

"So it is more of an orientation like the Dark, Light, and Balance we have?" Seth inquired curiously.

"Kind of. It varies depending the book or the person you ask," Mai said shrugging. "But generally the Unseelie are just a bunch of Fae who are a little darker in attitude, powers, and appearance than the Seelie. The Courts sometimes get along with each other but usually don't."

"The Holly King said we had the backing of both his Unseelie Court as well as the Seelie Court," Seth said.

"They were protecting Selene while we had Helios," Mokuba said, speaking up. "He also said the Japanese pantheon was supporting us, too."

Ishizu's eyes grew round. "That's..." She was silent for several moments trying to understand everything that she had been told. "Do you think the Fae could lend us a hand with the tomb?" she asked carefully. "I know little of the Fae except that they are known for being mischievous. Quite honestly, some mischief wouldn't be a bad thing right now."

"I'll ask," Kaiba said, grimacing at his growing headache. "First, I need Tylenol."

Ishizu's eyes gentled in sympathy. "Rest. I'll alert you immediately if anything changes. And Kaiba," she added when she felt the Court began to dissolve, "I'm glad you're back. I was worried."

Kaiba did not answer aloud, but the softening around his eyes and the infinitesimal nod were answer enough. He closed his eyes and relaxed his grip on the power. When he opened his eyes again, he was leaning back against his bedrest in his own bedroom in his own mansion. Mokuba was curled up next to him, pressing up against his side. Shaadi, Mai, and Oliver were in the guest rooms, safe, and the Green Lantern had returned to the Watchtower with Flash.

It was against every fiber of his being to sleep when there were still things to be done, but even Kaiba knew when his reserves were all but empty. He was tired physically, emotionally, and spiritually. He was thoroughly exhausted. Even calling Court had been draining which was why it had not lasted as long as he knew it should have.

He shifted down so he actually lay on the bed, rolled over on his side and wrapped an arm around his little brother so Mokuba was nestled safely against his chest. Then he closed his eyes and opened them again.

"You really are tired," Seth murmured.

The Ba sat next to Kaiba who lay on the futon in their now shared soul room. Seth leaned over Kaiba trailing his fingers gently down his Ka's cheek. He tilted his head to the side and pressed his palm against Kaiba's jaw, spreading his fingers out so they brushed his Ka's neck.

"You fell asleep almost immediately," he said softly.

His crystalline eyes glowed in the dark room lit only by streams of moonlight from the windows lining the room. The gentle sound of rain and the rumble of distant thunder filtered in through the open Japanese window. A breath of air blew the paper charm on the tiny chime, ringing it, and rippled Seth's unbound hair.

Seth wore a short, white shendyt that was pleated and gathered in the front and held up by a simple gold belt. A translucent, linen shawl was draped around his shoulders and tied over his chest. He wore no jewelry save the gold bands he always wore around his arms and ankles and his golden ankh earrings. The khol that usually lined his eyes was gone and most of his face was in shadow, save for his clear blue eyes.

"You owe me an explanation," he said, still speaking a low tone, "for why you keep pushing me away. I deserve to know." His gaze became hooded and dropped from Kaiba's eyes. "Was it something I did?" he asked, lifting his eyes once more. "Does it have something to do with what's happening to us?"

Kaiba sighed heavily in the ensuing silence. "No," he said, just as softly, "it's not you."

A grumble like distant thunder reverberated through their soul room and Seth's lips twitched in a small smile. "It appears I am not the only one who wishes to know your reasoning," he said.

Kaiba's forehead creased hearing Kisara's rumbling voice but he said nothing. Seth's eyes saddened and he wilted.

"Why won't you open yourself to me?" Seth asked. "We were beginning to have a rapport. Now is when we must be close and rely on each other, not force the other away." He placed his other hand on Kaiba's other cheek and gazed pleadingly into his ka's eyes. "Seto," he breathed, "let me help. Do not push me away."

Again, Kaiba said nothing and Seth's shoulders drooped. "It hurts," he said, sitting back, letting his hands trail away from Kaiba's face. "When you separate yourself from me, it hurts. I feel alone and it is silent and oppressive." He released a shaking breath and whispered, "It terrifies me."

Kaiba lifted his hands up to clasp Seth's, never taking his eyes away from his Ba. "That was never my intent," he said.

"I doubt it was," Seth agreed, the faintest smile visible in the watery moonlight. "But that has been the result."

Neither soul said a word to break the following silence. They just listened to the quiet rain falling in the illusory 'outside.'

"I can feel it pulling you away from me," Kaiba said finally, drawing Seth's gaze to his. "The...force or whatever it is that jackass is causing, I can feel it trying to rip you from me. So I cut you off," he said, eyes narrowed in determination. "I would rather they take me than you."

"That is foolish nonsense," Seth said. "This is not my body it is yours. I cannot control this body anywhere near as well as you can. If you were taken, you would leave me behind." He gripped Kaiba's hands tightly. "And I do not have the strength or power needed to maintain your body for any extended period of time like the Pharaoh can."

"No," Kaiba admitted. "But you can keep me alive."

"But not for long," Seth insisted. He leaned back down, shifting so he could lay on Kaiba's chest, resting his cheek just above Kaiba's heartbeat. "I am not strong enough." He curled closer. "And I do not wish to be alone again."

"You won't be," Kaiba said firmly.

"I will be if you do not let me help you," Seth said, pulling Kaiba's hand still clasped in his left close to his face, pressing his lips to it. "Let me help you fight."

"If you're taken," Kaiba said slowly, "you'll probably wither away before I can reach you. But I've had my soul taken more than once and survived. I'm better equipped for something like this. I have more experience."

"That may be but-"

"I can live without a body," Kaiba said firmly. "You can't. That's just our nature."

Seth said nothing, wishing he had a descent argument to that statement. The silence stretched for several minutes before Kaiba spoke again. "I'm not sure how to stop them," he admitted reluctantly, "besides outright killing them. And even then, I'm not sure that will stop what's already been started."

"We may have to kill them," Seth said softly. "We still have to get Helios back as well."

"At least we have the Unseelie or whatever the hell Arawn is," Kaiba said.

Seth listened, brows furrowing in confusion. He pushed himself up so he leaned over Kaiba's face and met his Ka's eyes. "That is what bothers you," he murmured in quiet comprehension. "With the Pharaoh and the King gone, you worry about how you will deal with this."

"I can deal with it myself just fine," Kaiba ground out.

"But you will not emerge unscathed," Seth said and Kaiba offered no counter argument. "Perhaps this Pegasus is not the enemy we remember him to be. He is from an alternate reality. It is possible he became an ally in that world."

"That doesn't change anything," Kaiba snapped.

"I will never say it does," Seth said calmly. "But that is what bothers you, is it not?"

Kaiba sighed, looking away to the round window on the wall to his right sulking. "I know my limits," he muttered. "There is so much I have to do and so little time or energy to do it."

Seth nodded. The list was indeed extensive and daunting even for someone as familiar with seemingly never ending to-do lists as the KaibaCorp CEO was. Kisara rumbled like distant thunder, offering her support an encouragement. It brought a small smile to Seth's lips and the slightest softening of Kaiba's forehead.

"Sleep," Seth whispered. He freed his right hand and cupped Kaiba's cheek, his fingers brushing the short brown strands of hair. He leaned down slowly and kissed Kaiba slowly, gently, just the soft movement of lips against lips. "We'll deal with this in the morning."

The last coherent thought Kaiba had was to vaguely wonder how the moonlight through the window could be so bright even though it was raining.

* * *

 

Mai removed her bra and pants and kicked off her socks before falling back heavily on the guest bed. Court had been interesting but she was tired. She yawned, gasping when her phone suddenly rang. She recognized the ringtone as Ishizu's and was intrigued. What could Ishizu possibly want? They had just finished Court so whatever the Priestess had to say, she could have said then. Unless she did not want Kaiba to know.

Cautiously, Mai picked up the phone and answered it. "What'd you forget?" she asked half teasingly.

 _"Mai,"_ Ishizu said seriously. _"I need you to tell me honestly, is Kaiba well?"_

The Sorceress hummed in thought. "He'd say yes, but I'd say he's hanging in there from sheer force of will."

 _"Then you sense it too,"_ the Priestess murmured.

"Sense my ass," Mai said, rolling her eyes. "He hasn't been doing well and he knows it. He's just too proud to admit it."

 _"Maybe not to us, but perhaps to Seth,"_ Ishizu said.

"Let's hope." Mai rolled over on her stomach, kicking her legs up in the air behind her. "So what'd you really want?"

Ishizu huffed. _"I've told the other Triads,"_ she began, _"but I haven't been able to tell any of you yet. It's changed slightly, but the premise is the same. I had another vision and...it's not...the outcome I would prefer,"_ she said diplomatically.

"Nice try, sweetheart," Mai said. "Now try again."

 _"I saw Mokuba die,"_ Ishizu said bluntly, causing Mai to freeze. _"Kaiba saw it and all but self destructed, just like Set did 5,000 years ago. Nothing, not even Obelisk could stop him from killing himself."_

"How?" Mai demanded.

 _"It changes every time,"_ Ishizu said with a heavy sigh. _"Sometimes the changes are minor like the location or the method; but other times they're major, like Mokuba surviving and only Kaiba dying, or both surviving and the world being destroyed around them."_

"What can we do?"

 _"I don't know,"_ Ishizu said in defeat. _"I've tried forcing the sight to come to me, but that's making it difficult to help stop Carter Hall."_

"Migraines," Mai said, humming understandingly. "I heard Jounouchi's Red Eyes was stolen," she said, suddenly. "You think that has anything to do with this?"

 _"I think it may, yes,"_ Ishizu said, seizing on the subject. _"The assassin-"_

"Oh, we're calling him the Bastard now, by the way," Mai chimed in.

 _"Hm, understandable,"_ Ishizu said gracefully. _"The Bastard stole Red Eyes directly from its card. We're not sure how or why except that in my visions, he returns with Red Eyes and several other dragons I don't recognize to attack this world and many others."_

"Worlds as in planets or worlds as in-"

 _"Realities, yes. Also, one of the dragons I always see in his arsenal..."_ she added hesitantly, _"Mai, it's Blue Eyes."_

"Oh dear god," Mai moaned, covering her eyes with her hand. "You haven't told Kaiba, have you?"

_"No, not yet."_

"Good, don't," Mai said firmly. "He's hanging on by a thread right now. He needs Kisara and Seth and Mokuba. They're all that's keeping him in place." She bit her lip. "Ishizu," she said hesitantly, "he had another attack earlier today. We almost lost him."

Mai heard Ishizu release a shaky breath over the phone. _"This is... I'm not sure how to deal with all of this at once."_

"Helios was also taken by Ares," Mai grumbled. "That makes the list of things we gotta do that much bigger. Ishizu, what if Kaiba has another attack and we aren't there to help him? Especially with Yugi and Yami not here."

 _"They should be back by morning,"_ Ishizu said. _"But I hear what you're saying. I'm not sure how to answer you though."_

There was a loud explosion followed by a burst of Shadow magic the Sorceress had come to identify as Kaiba summoning and Mai sat up in shock. "The hell?" she muttered, jumping out of bed and grabbing her Deck before flinging open her door.

She stared down the hall towards Kaiba's room, turning around only when she heard footsteps approaching. Shaadi wearing only his robe and Oliver wearing only a pair of pants but with his bow and a couple arrows in hand were racing towards her.

"What the hell was that?" Oliver demanded.

"You got me," Mai said. She put the phone up next to her ear. "Ishizu," she said. "Something's happening here. I'm gonna put you on speaker phone, okay?"

 _"Please,"_ the Priestess said, sounding tense and alert.

"Come," Shaadi said, rushing past Mai towards Kaiba's room.

They reached the door and tried to open it but it was locked.

"Damn it," Oliver muttered. He took a few steps back and commanded, "Step back."

The Advisor and Sorceress did as they were told. Once they were clear, Oliver kicked the door as hard as he could. Nothing. He did it again, still nothing. He tried again, but still nothing.

"Wait," Shaadi said suddenly. "Let me try something."

Oliver stepped aside for Shaadi who approached the door carefully, eyeing it as if it were puzzle. Then he closed his eyes and opened his hands and a large, golden ankh appearing in his hands. "The Millennium Ankh is also a key," he said, "and keys open doors. Let us hope this holds true for real doors."

"Have you ever tried doing that before?" Mai asked.

"I have not."

Before anyone could say anything more, Shaadi took hold of the Ankh, slid it into the solid wooden door, and turned it. There was an audible snick as the lock slid open and he removed the Ankh just in time for Mai to grab the doorknob and turn it.

She expected to see destruction and evidence of a battle when she opened that door. After hearing Ishizu's dire predictions followed by the explosion, she had all but anticipated an all out attack. What she found would haunt her for years to come.

There were indeed signs of a battle. The French doors leading to the balcony outside Kaiba's bedroom the brothers often used as a patio was broken and hanging on their hinges. The balcony itself was covered in soot from what looked like a blast of focused energy much like a Duel Monster's attack.

Then she saw the familiar form of Jounouchi's Red Eyes Black Dragon hovering obediently behind a large, white vehicle that closely resembled a motorcycle. Except motorcycles most certainly did not fly. Red Eyes must have been commanded to blast Kaiba's doors open.

The next thing she saw was the beam of white and blue light stretching from a card in Kaiba's hand to another card in the hand of who could only be the infamous Bastard. Whatever it was, it felt to her like something was being ripped away from her Regent. Kaiba himself was clutching his chest, his face contorted in agony and fear, steadfastly refusing to move.

She briefly wondered why before a cry of "Nii-sama!" made everything clear. She whirled around and saw Mokuba struggling to reach his brother but held back by the corporeal form of Seth who appeared to be suffering just as much as Kaiba.

Oliver raced to Seth's side, bow in hand. He took up a position between Mokuba still being restrained by Seth and the battle. He had just enough time to knock and draw an arrow when Kaiba suddenly gasped and convulsed. Behind him, Seth cried out and vanished just as Kaiba coughed and the beam of light from his Regent's card vanished.

Kaiba staggered and Red Eyes Black Dragon opened its mouth to strike again. Mai felt horror fill her heart. She reached for her Deck, begging it to give her the Trap card she needed. It did just as she knew it would.

 _"Mirror Wall!"_ she shrieked.

A wall of iridescent mirror materialized between Kaiba and Red Eyes. The black dragon roared as its power level was abruptly halved. Then before it could recover and continue its attack, it was viciously attacked by a purplish black Monster that resembled a twisted crocodile. The dragon roared and thrashed, its tail batting the hovering white vehicle, knocking it aside. The rider grabbed the controls and yelled something that could barely be heard through his mask and over the animalistic noises from the duel Monsters. Then Red Eyes returned to its card still in the Bastard's possession and both it and the Bastard vanished in a flash.

Oliver blinked, stunned, by the abrupt silence. Unfortunately, he did not have time to appreciate the silence because Kaiba overbalanced backwards and collapsed limply to the floor.

"Nii-sama!" Mokuba screamed, racing past the vigilante to his big brother's side.

Oliver stared at Kaiba in shock, reaching out to him with his Shadows and was disturbed when he felt...nothing. It was like seeing a hologram: he knew it was there but he could not feel it and therefore the brain could not completely comprehend what was happening.

Mai yelled something as did Shaadi, but Mokuba reached Kaiba's side first. The boy called for his big brother but there was no reply, just silence. Kaiba lay still, unmoving. Oliver felt the beginnings of terrible comprehension when he realized Kaiba's chest was not moving. Kaiba was not breathing.

He quickly dropped his weapons and knelt by the young man pressing two fingers against Kaiba's neck, trying to find a pulse. He could not find it. He pushed Mai aside, swung a leg over Kaiba's waist and began massaging the Regent's heart, pausing at even intervals to breathe into Kaiba's mouth.

He paused again and pressed a hand over Kaiba's chest, pleading to Obelisk that he could find a soul. At first he could not feel it and almost panicked. But then something, deep down, flickered. There was something there.

"Shaadi," he heard himself say, "follow me and pull it closer."

Shaadi blinked in confusion before placing his own hand next to Oliver's. His eyes grew wide then narrowed as he reached out with his Shadows, casting a net out for the fading soul. After a couple failed attempts, he finally caught the flickering soul and gently but firmly reeled it in, dragging it back to where it should be. Beneath their hands, Kaiba's chest stuttered in a soft gasp as his heart began beating once more.

Oliver pressed his fingers back up against Kaiba's throat and while relieved to feel a pulse, he was worried about how thin and thready it was. Either way, they had Kaiba back. He sat back in relief, glancing up at Mai. His smile faded at the look of horror on her face.

"Mai?" he asked. "Mai, what's wrong?"

Mai had covered her mouth with her hand and was visibly shaking, her light purple eyes pinned on her Regent. "He's gone," she breathed. "He's gone."

"He's back," Oliver said. "Shaadi was able to get pull him back."

Mai shook her head vigorously. "That's not Kaiba," she said frantically. Her eyes lifted to Oliver's, wide and terrified. "That's Seth. Kaiba's gone."

Oliver felt all the relief drain out of him as he turned to stare at the still, pale face of his Regent. Mokuba had gathered his big brother's head into his arms and curled around it, screaming and crying. Japanese words Oliver did not know fell from the little boy's lips like a waterfall. The only word he recognized in the rush was the one that tugged the hardest at his heart.

"Nii-sama!"


	34. To Egypt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Oliver finally sees the darker side of the Court, the Pharaoh and King get something precious, and the Manhunter acts as mediator.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** Sorry for the delay. Basically life, stuck, work, yeah. There may be a few things in this chapter that may seem confusing as first. They will be explained later but you can ask me id you want and I'll try to answer without giving spoilers. But rewatching the episode(s) in which Seto Kaba duels Zorc Necrophades in the Memory World arc of the anime might help out a lot. Again, I'll edit this tomorrow.

_"Mai. Mai! What happened? What was that? Mai answer me! Mai! **Mai!** "_

Mai looked around frantically for her phone which she had dropped when she first cast her Trap. She ended up having to crawl several feet back to the door to her phone, fumbling with it as she crawled back to the body of her Regent.

"Ishizu," she sobbed. "Ishizu, he's gone. He's gone. Kaiba's gone. What do I do? What do I do? WhatdoIdo?!"

"Calm yourself, Sorceress," Shaadi said, taking Mai's face gentle between his hands. He stared directly into her eyes and said firmly, "Kaiba may be gone, but Seth remains. You must calm yourself now and help Seth."

Mai visibly shook as she tried to hold back her sobs, fighting back a panic attack. Her head jerked up and down in a nod and Shaadi gently took the phone from her.

"Ishizu," he said into the speaker, "can you hear me?"

_"I can."_

"I can still feel the Balance. Do you have control of it?" Shaadi asked. 

_"I do, yes, but not the full Balance,"_ the Priestess replied. _"I'm just sharing the power temporarily. Now, what happened? Tell me now."_

"The Bastard attacked," Oliver called towards the phone before Shaadi could reply.

"As Oliver said, the Bastard attacked," Shaadi confirmed. "Kaiba's soul is gone. Only Seth remains."

_"No,"_ Ishizu whispered in horror. _"But that-"_

"You are now the de facto leader of the Triad of the Balance Priestess," Shaadi continued. "And as your Advisor, I highly suggest you let the Dark Triad loose. I would like Carter dead."

"Wait, wait, woah," Oliver exclaimed, climbing off of Kaiba's unconscious body and reaching for the phone. Shaadi expertly avoided the grab but waited for the vigilante to catch his balance and speak once more. "You can't just order someone's death."

"I have done no such thing," Shaadi said calmly. "I have suggested it, not ordered it."

_" **You** haven't," _Ishizu's voice echoed over the phone's speaker. Her voice was cold with restrained fury. _"I am."___

____

____

"We are _not_ the mafia," Oliver said loudly. "You can't just call a hit on someone."

"We can if they have all but murdered our leader," Mai said, her eyes cold despite the tears still streaming from them. "Leave some behind for me, Priestess," she called to her phone. "I want to rip his face off."

Shaadi nodded and Ishizu said, _"I will try. But with my brother and Bakura involved, I cannot guarantee anything."_

"That's fine by me," Mai snarled viciously.

"Wait, listen to me!" Oliver said. "Do _not_ stoop to their level. Don't become what they are."

_"Oliver,"_ Ishizu said. _"What happens when someone assassinates the President of the United States?"_

"He's hunted down, arrested, jailed, and sentence in due process of the law," Oliver said sternly.

_"And that is exactly what we are doing,"_ the Priestess said. _"I am the acting head of the Triad of the Balance. That makes me the equivalent of the Vice President. Someone has all but murdered my Regent. We will hunt down those responsible, capture them, and submit them to a Judgement Game. The Penalty of which **will** be death."_

"But is death necessary?" Oliver asked. He agreed, whoever was behind this should pay dearly, but the idea of senselessly killing someone else for it rubbed him the wrong way. He sighed internally as he thought of how much being a part of the Justice League had changed him.

_"Oliver,"_ Ishizu said. _"Look at Mokuba."_

_Oliver blinked and turned to look over his shoulder. Even knowing what he would see, the sight still tugged at his heartstrings. Mokuba kneeling and cradling his big brother's body in his arms. His body was hunched over Kaiba's head which he held close to his chest. Long, tangled black hair hung over his face as he cried over the body of the last blood relative he had. Oliver swallowed._

__

__

Footsteps pounded down the hall and he whirled around in surprise anticipating another attack. But the two people who emerged were wounded and haggard. It took him a moment before he recognized the Isono cousins without their trademark sunglasses. Fuguta was holding up Roland who was strongly favoring his right leg. Both had lesions covering their faces and their clothes were torn. Clearly, they had experienced something prior to these events.

"Kaiba-sama!" Roland cried, freeing himself from Fuguta's grasp and hobbling precariously over to where Mokuba sat weeping. He carefully took Kaiba pulse before pulling Mokuba to him and rocking him gently as tears sparkling in his own gray eyes. Fuguta walked over more slowly and placed a hand on Roland's shoulder as wetness lined his own eyes as well.

_"Oliver,"_ Ishizu said. _"You are a vigilante but you are also a member of the Justice League. More importantly, as Kaiba would say, you are yourself first. But keep in mind, we are a Court and we will enforce our laws. Carter has committed the crime of attempted murder by stealing a soul at the very least. The penalty for stealing a soul is death. Even if we felt compelled to offer mercy, the most I could conceivably give is a quick death. But I doubt my brother or Mokuba would agree."_

Oliver thought back to his first meeting with Marik Ishtar and winced. He would not be surprised if Marik showed no mercy at all. He closed his eyes and sighed in resignation. When he opened his eyes again, he noticed something they had all missed before. It had been dropped and fluttered to the ground near the bedroom wall. For some reason, he felt like that small piece of paper was important.

Curious, he stood, walked over to the wall and picked up the card. It took him a moment to recognize the card for what it was because the Monster, name, level stars, details, and attack and defense point information was all completely blank. He remembered what the Bastard had done to Jounouchi's Red Eyes Black Dragon and felt his stomach drop.

"Ishizu," he said, holding the phone up to his mouth. "How many Blue Eyes White Dragon cards does Kaiba have again?"

_"Three,"_ the Priestess replied. _"Why?"_ she added hesitantly.

"Because I think he may have none now," he said.

He glanced back over his shoulder to see Shaadi watching him closely. The Advisor's orange eyes widened when he heard the vigilante's words and he immediately began frantically searching Kaiba's body for the Regent's Deck. It only took a moment for Shaadi to spot the Deck, clutched tightly in Kaiba's hand. He pried it out and quickly began shuffling through it, heedless of the effect his touching another Shadow user's Deck might have on the unconscious Regent.

_"Oliver?"_ Ishizu's voice called, tense. _"What do you mean by that?"_

Oliver did not answer right away, too busy watching Shaadi intently, hoping the result would not be what he suspected. After a moment, Shaadi looked up in confusion, shaking his head.

"One of the Blue Eyes White Dragon cards is blank," he said.

"What?!" Mai gasped.

"Blue Eyes?" Mokuba said, lifting his tear stained face. "What about Blue Eyes?"

Oliver scrambled back over to the Advisor holding out the now blank card. "This card," he said forcefully, "what was it? Do you know?"

"Oh my god," Mai whispered, staring at the blank card. "That's a Blue Eyes card."

Oliver handed Mai the phone before taking Kaiba's Deck from Shaadi and shuffling through it. He found the other two Blue Eyes cards. But strangely only one other card was blank. The third was still intact.

"I thought..." he murmured. "Ishizu," he said abruptly. "When the Bastard stole Jounouchi's Red Eyes Black Dragon, you said it was gone from all of the copies of it, right?"

_"Yes,"_ Ishizu said.

"Two of Kaiba's Blue Eyes cards are blank," Oliver said, holding the two blank cards in one hand, "but the third still has a Blue Eyes on it," he said, turning his gaze to the intact card in his other hand.

_"That..."_ The Priestess's words trailed away as she processed this new information. _"That does not... How?"_

"Give them to me," Mokuba demanded.

Oliver turned to the younger Kaiba and obediently handed the boy his big brother's Deck and the three Blue Eyes White Dragon cards. Mokuba took them gingerly, gazing at the two blanks cards in fear before tucking Kaiba's Deck into his pocket. He pressed a hidden catch and the Duel Monsters card pendant on his necklace which matched his big brother's identical pendant and tucked both blank Blue Eyes cards as well as the one intact Blue Eyes card inside. So the pendants were lockets.

"Ishizu," Mokuba said, clutching his big brother's still unconscious body close.

_"I'm here Mokuba,"_ the Priestess said gently.

"Tell Bakura and the others to wait for me," he said, eyes hard and filled with a furnace of emotion. "I want to be the one to cast the Penalty Game."

_"Of course,"_ Ishizu said. _"I assume Shaadi will teleport you here."_

"I will," Shaadi said.

"What about the Lights?" Mai said, wiping her eyes. "Jounouchi and Honda are here in Japan. They should be able to join in. And what about Yugi and Yami?"

"I would be stunned if they did not notice the sudden lack of Kaiba's Balance," Shaadi said calmly. "Nevertheless, I will attempt to contact them in the Regent's absence."

_"Are you sure astral projection is possible between realities?"_ Ishizu asked.

"Wait, you can do astral projection?" Oliver gasped.

Shaadi nodded the vigilante. "I normally require the Millennium Ankh to do so and have only projected to locations in this reality. However, I am willing to try projecting elsewhere now." He stood, dusting himself off. "I believe it to be possible," he said to Ishizu. "It is worth a try at the very least."

_"I agree. Let me know how you do, but Shaadi,"_ she added, _"do not take long."_ Her voice regained its cold edge. _"We have work to do."_

"Understood," Shaadi replied. "Mokuba," he said, turning to the Keeper, "Will you give me the chance to contact the King and the Pharaoh before we leave?"

Mokuba nodded, seriously. "Don't take too long," he said.

"Yeah, about that," Oliver interjected. He sighed, resigned to what he was about to do. "Let me get the Watchtower to teleport us to Egypt. Hawkgirl is there which means the Watchtower has their coordinates. It would be easier to do that than have Shaadi take all of us by himself."

"You are coming as well, then?" the Advisor asked.

"Someone has to keep this train wreck of a group together," Oliver said. "Besides, Kaiba was my friend as well."

Shaadi closed his eyes and drew his Shadows to him, gathering around his form so they had a memory of his appearance imprinted on them. Then he attempted to push through the barrier between worlds. He was met by resistance and pushed hardly until he felt a headache begin to pulse behind his brow. He sighed in defeat.

"It would appear, inter-reality projection is currently beyond my capabilities," he said regretfully.

"Don't worry," Mokuba said, reaching out to the drained Advisor. "You tried. That's what matters."

"I just realized," Mai said suddenly, eyes huge. "How is Obelisk taking this?"

"Ra-Horakhty," Shaadi breathed in realization, "have mercy. We must go to Egypt as quickly as possible."

"I agree," came a voice that startled the group.

All eyes dropped to Kaiba's body and were stunned to see the Regent's glacial blue eyes open and gleaming. Seth was awake.

"I would have a word with this...Carter Hall," he hissed. He attempted to push himself up, reluctantly relying on Mokuba's, Roland's, and Fuguta's help to do so. "I will regain my Ka if I have to destroy everyone in that godforsaken camp to do so."

Mokuba blinked and loosened his grip on Seth in his brother's body, then nodded grimly. "I'll help," he said, earning him an approving gaze from Seth. "He's my nii-sama." His lips twitched upwards in a smile that seemed more suitable to Kaiba's face than Mokuba's and said coldly, "Ra-Horakhty wants a few words with those idiots as well."

Seth paled visibly, eyeing Mokuba cautiously before nodding. "I believe Obelisk has claimed them first," he said slowly.

"No," Mokuba said. "I claim first dibs, then you, then Obelisk, then Ra-Horakhty."

"I can go with that line up," Mai chimed in. "On the understanding there's something left for me."

Oliver shook his head and pressed the button for the communicator. "Arrow to Watchtower," he said.

_"Flash here,"_ the speedster said in an exhausted voice that was clearly stifling a yawn. _"Why're you up so late? Early? Late? Whatever. Why're you up?"_

"Kaiba's soul has been stolen," Oliver said, getting straight to the point.

_"The fu-!"_

"Listen, I'll call you back in five minutes and when I do, I want you to teleport myself and our group directly to the dig," the vigilante said, standing. "I'm getting my weapons."

_"Weapons?"_ Flash echoed. _"Dude, do I need to call in Superman or somethin'?"_

"Hopefully not," Oliver said, hurrying to his room to pull on his vigilante gear. "Green Lantern's welcome to come though and Hawkgirl's already there."

_"Yeah, she's there."_

"Good," Oliver said. "Wonder Woman might be needed for this," he added.

_"She's resting in her room up here right now,"_ Flash said.

"She is? I thought she was still in Themiscyra."

_"She's reporting back here,"_ Flash explained. _"I can wake her."_

"Do that. Oh, and see if you can find a way to hold back the press," Oliver warned. "I get the feeling this isn't going to end pretty."

He walked back into Kaiba's room and was pleasantly surprised to see Seth standing precariously in Kaiba's body, one arm slung over Roland's shoulder and his other hand resting on Mokuba's shoulder for support. Shaadi, Mai, and Fuguta were standing around him protectively.

"Alright Flash," the vigilante said. "Ready when you are."

_"Seven to beam to Egypt,"_ Flash said. _"In three, two, one."_

There was a flash of white and the group was gone.

* * *

 

"Yami!"

_:I know, aibou,:_ the Pharaoh said in his mind. _:I felt it too.:_

"Do you think Carter succeeded?" Yugi asked, turning to his newly materialized Ka next to him.

"Let us hope not," J'onn said, rising from his place by the window.

"J'onn," Yami said, nodding in greeting. "I'm sorry we woke you."

"It is no trouble," the Martian replied, gazing calmly at the doors as if anticipating something.

Footsteps suddenly pounded down the hall towards their room and Yami took up a defensive position in front of Yugi moments before the doors were flung open and flamboyantly revealing none other than Maximillion Pegasus.

"What the devil was that?" Pegasus exclaimed, throwing up his arms dramatically. "Tell me, Yugi-boy. What did you do?"

"We did nothing," Yugi said quickly. "But I think that was the problem," he added sadly.

"Kaiba's soul has been taken," Yami said, easing his posture to a less battle ready one. "We did not act fast enough."

"What?" J'onn gasped.

Pegasus hummed. "Well, lucky for you, I have a few copies of some of my new cards from my vaults I can give you. It will take time to make the others. However," he said, pulling out a single card from his pocket. "I do have another card for you. I only had the chance to make one copy of this card so far and I will very likely only make two more maximum. I expect them to go directly to Kaiba," he said sternly. "This particular Monster is rather temperamental."

Yugi took the offered card and flipped it over to gaze at the art on the other side and his breath fled him. Gazing gently from the card art was a lovely young woman with soft, pale skin and long silver-blue hair. An unseen breeze blew the woman's hair behind her revealing four long, slim braids, two on either side of her face. A simple leather band encircled her head matching her long brown dress. Elegant designs made of silver and mother of pearl clamped around the woman's waist and hips emphasizing her slim build and giving her a mystical feel. Armlets made of the same silver and mother of pearl materials adorned both arms above her wrists. But her most distinguishing feature, were her two soulful blue eyes.

"This is Kisara?" J'onn murmured, studying the card over Yugi's shoulder.

Yugi could not answer aloud, too busy taking in the beautifully detailed Monster in his hand. He managed a distracted nod as he lifted his eyes to the Monster's name. Her name was fitting: Maiden With Eyes of Blue. She was a level one Light Monster. Interestingly enough, she had zero attack and defense points. She was also a Spellcaster and Tuner Monster.

"Tuner?" Yugi asked. "What's a Tuner Monster?"

"It's a new group of Monsters which I will not release for at least another decade or so," Pegasus said. "I'm still working out the finer details of them. I'll let you know when I figure it all out."

Yugi nodded distracted by the card still in his hand. He read the card's instructions and smiled when he understood why only Kaiba could ever wield this card. It could be used to Special Summon a Blue Eyes White Dragon directly from the players hand, Deck, or even the Graveyard. Kisara must have influenced Pegasus as he created this.

"You have our word," Yami said, placing a hand over his heart. "Only Kaiba will ever use this card unless he dictates otherwise or she summons herself."

"Good," Pegasus said, flipping his hair over his shoulders. "Well, now that you have what you came for and Kaiba-boy needs you, I suggest you scurry off to help your friends. You may be from a different reality but I doubt that core value of yours is any different from my Yugi-boy."

Yugi grinned. "Not in the slightest."

"We should go," Yami said. "The lack of Balance is disturbing. Ishizu is nowhere near as strong as Kaiba."

"What does Ishizu have to do with this?" J'onn asked curiously.

"She's the de facto leader of the Triad of the Balance in Kaiba's absence," Yugi replied. "Jounouchi is my de facto leader."

"And Marik is mine," Yami said. "Which brings to mind," he said, glancing wryly at his partner. "We should probably get back before Marik and Bakura rip Carter to shreds."

Yugi turned slightly green and nodded.

"Bakura," Pegasus murmured. "Ah, he must be the personality that stole the Millennium Eye from me. I assume he is in the same situation as you two?"

Yugi shook his head. "No," he said. "It is similar, but different. We'll explain later."

"Yes," J'onn said. "I believe we are pressed for time."

Pegasus humphed. "Well don't let me keep you. Shoo! Shoo!" he said, waving his hands in a dismissive gesture.

Yugi turned and took hold of J'onn's hand. "J'onn," Yugi said. "When we get back, could you help us get to Egypt?"

The Martian tilted his head mildly. "Why?"

"Because I need to at least attempt to restrain my Triad from causing too much destruction," Yami said. "Marik is not necessarily known for his subtlety when it comes to revenge. Bakura has the patience needed to carefully plan something like this out as does Ryou but Marik would sooner lash out in the open than from the shadows like Bakura."

"I understand," J'onn said, nodding slightly. "It would be a problem if Carter died."

"Oh, I have no problem with that," the Pharaoh said. "In fact, I will see to it he does."

"Yami," Yugi chided gently, his face drawn down in disappointment.

"I may not have much say in this," the Pharaoh said. "Ishizu is in charge and she would sooner murder Carter with her own knife then let him live after what he's done."

Yugi winced but reluctantly nodded his head.

"You truly are different," Pegasus said softly.

Yugi turned back to the creator of Duel Monsters, a sad smile on his face. "Even if we do nothing, the Shadows will probably kill Carter on their own. If we are there, we can try to offer mercy. If we are not there, then..." He sighed. "There has to be another way," Yugi insisted, turning the full force of his gentle violet gaze on his Ka's crimson.

The Pharaoh held the gaze for several moments before nodding and fading from existence, merging back with Yugi. The young King then gripped J'onn's hands tightly with his own, the new cards including the Maiden with Eyes of Blue carefully tucked in his pocket, and called on Ra's golden power.

He felt the Egyptian god's burning glory flood his veins to the brim, heat coursing through him. Only then did he reach out and picture home. The heat burned him then vanished and he opened his eyes. They were in the same hotel room they had been in moments earlier with Pegasus. This hotel room, however, was blessedly empty. It was also still dark outside.

Before Yugi could release J'onn's hands and move to the hotel room door, the Martian made them invisible and pulled them through the hotel walls to the cool night air outside. He flew them up to the rooftop, solidified and became visible again. Then he touched his communicator and said into the device, "J'onn to Watchtower."

"Man, everyone's awake," came Flash's drowsy voice. "I take it since you're calling, you and the Yugis must be back."

"We are," J'onn said. "We require a teleport to Egypt."

"That...yeah, I bet it has something to do with Kaiba," Flash said. "I got a call from Arrow a few minutes ago asking the same thing. I teleported them to Egypt about five, ten minutes ago."

"Kaiba!" Yugi cried towards the communicator speaker. "Was Kaiba alright? And what about Mokuba?"

"Dude, I'm sorry man," Flash said, "but Kaiba's gone. According to Arrow, Seth's still there but he's barely functioning. It's like he's in a daze or something."

"It is because he is unused to controlling a physical body," the Pharaoh said, materializing next to Yugi and placing a reassuring hand in his partner's shoulder. "It is like straining a muscle you have not used in months or, in his case, years. It is difficult and requires much concentration."

"But what about Mokuba?" Yugi pressed.

"He's not handling it well," Flash admitted reluctantly. "I'm actually seriously worried about him. He sounded mad."

"I bet," Yami muttered.

"Seth sounded furious if you could hear around the exhaustion," Flash added. "I'm actually wondering if I need to call in Superman or Batman to make sure nothing too serious happens."

"What about Green Lantern?" J'onn asked.

"He's with them, so it Hawkgirl and Wonder Woman is planning on showing up, too," Flash said. "It's a regular party."

"Listen, Flash," Yugi said urgently. "I have something Seth and Kaiba need. It could help them reunite without killing Carter."

"Woah, woah, woah!" the superhero exclaimed. "Killing? We don't do killing, kid."

"You may not," Yami said seriously, "but we do. Every one of us has directly or indirectly caused the death of someone. Marik and Bakura thrived on murder in the past. And they are both currently in Egypt near the person who inadvertently stole their Regent's soul with a vindictive Priestess, a boy who will do anything to get his big brother back, and half of a soul who's current sole purpose is to reunite with his other half no matter the cost."

"...shit," Flash muttered.

"Indeed," J'onn agreed.

"Let me put in the coordinates and I'll get you there as fast as I can," Flash said. There was few moments of silence. Then the communicator came back to life. "Got it. Ready?"

"Yes."

"'Kay. Energize."

The group vanished from the rooftop of a hotel in Domino City, Japan, and reappeared on the edge of a camp in the Egyptian desert. The screams were all they needed to know which direction to run.


	35. Enter the Tomb

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which everyone arrives at the mess that is the dig and the enemy wears a familiar face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** I'm so sorry for the delay in posting. Long story short, it has been a long week. On the bright side, I now have a boyfriend and have seen _Jupiter Ascending_ which is fabulous. Go see it. On the downside, I till don't know if my class appeal was approved so I don't have to take summer classes and the first day of summer classes is tomorrow. In other words, I'll have to take the class until I find out one way or the other. 
> 
> That aside, this is a bit of a short chapter. It proved difficult to write for some reason. No one behaved themselves. I'll edit this tomorrow. Anywho, enjoy.

The moment they materialized at the dig, they were greeted by Hawkgirl. Her large, feathered wings folded when she landed. "Good," she said curtly, assessing their group with a well-trained eye. "About time you got here. I need some level heads to balance out this lunacy."

"What's happening?" Seth asked, forcing himself to stand on his own despite his fatigue.

"Short version? Marik and Bakura have gone haywire," Hawkgirl said, glancing over her shoulder. "They're hunting down anyone who tries to escape."

"What about Ryou?" Arrow asked. "He's usually under control."

"Oh, he's in control alright," Hawkgirl growled. "He's leading the hunt."

Mai snorted. "Well, he always did prefer to be the Game Master rather than a simple player," she said. "He knows how to manipulate things to get what he wants."

Shayera nodded. "You can bet he's got Marik and Bakura wrapped around his finger," she said snidely.

"I believe it."

"Look," Arrow said, interrupting, "this is nice and all, but we have to find Kaiba now."

Hawkgirl's brows furrowed in confusion. "I don't understand. Isn't he Kaiba?" she asked, pointing to Seth.

Seth shook his head but it was Shaadi who answered. "Kaiba's soul has been stolen by Carter Hall," he said, as unflappable as ever. "Only Seth remains."

Seth lowered Kaiba's eyes, avoiding Shayera's shocked gaze. "I see," he heard her say seriously. "That explains why this place suddenly exploded."

"Exploded?" Mokuba chirped, stepping forward. "What do you mean?"

"That is not important at this moment," Seth said. "I apologize but I must find Seto immediately. I cannot be in control of this body for much longer."

"Where's Carter Hall?" Mokuba demanded with all the seriousness a fourteen year old could muster.

"Inside the tomb," Hawkgirl said. "Hasn't left all evening. That idiot Mr. Bakura is there too."

"Shaadi," Seth said. "I may not be your Regent, but I hope you will tolerate these commands." He turned Kaiba's head to the Advisor and said softly, "I want you to cast the Spell _Field Barrier_ over this location. Let no one in or out except our own people. No one else," he repeated seriously. "Not even Superman."

"I will do my best," Shaadi said, eyes wide with the slightest edge of discomfort in them. "And if the King and Pharaoh should arrive?"

"Allow them entrance, but no others unless they are accompanied by one of the Court," Seth said. Shaadi nodded and Seth continued. "Mai, protect Shaadi as best you can. The _Field Barrier_ Spell could easily require much of his concentration."

"You got it kiddo," the Sorceress said, giving him the thumbs up sign.

"Shayera," Seth said, lifting Kaiba's eyes to meet the Thanagaran's green eyes. "We do not know each other well, but I ask that you protect them as well."

Hawkgirl nodded hefting her mace easily. "You got it." She immediately took flight to keep watch from above.

"Arrow, Mokuba," Seth said at least. "With me."

Together the trio made their slow but careful way towards the tomb.

* * *

 

"Okay, now I'm mad."

Honda glanced at Jounouchi but said nothing, he agreed with the blond one hundred percent. First Mokuba vanishes, then Rich Boy leaves to find him, then Yugi and Yami leave, then Kaiba comes back, then the Balance vanishes, then Yugi and Yami come back and immediately leave Japan. Honda was incredibly annoyed and more than a little hurt. He may not be the best Duelist in the Duel Monster world or the strongest Shadow user in the Court but he was still a _member_ of the Shadow Court. He expected Kaiba to leave without him and Jounouchi but when he felt Yugi and Yami leave them behind too, it hurt.

That was how he ended up walking to the Kame Game shop with Jounouchi who was typing away on his cellphone and muttering to himself. Honda's hands were in his pockets and he walked with his shoulders hunched in disappointment. Then Jounouchi crowed loudly startling Honda who reeled back in surprise. The next thing he knew, Jounouchi grabbed his elbow and he blinked.

He had a moment to stare dumbly at the large window between himself and the beautiful planet dangling in space just beyond before he suddenly felt dizzy and light headed. He groaned and clutched his head, blinking again. When he opened his eyes again, the dizziness was gone, replaced by searing heat and dusty winds and not too distant screams.

"The hell?" he muttered in confusion.

"Bro," Jounouchi said proudly. "Di' I evah tell ya how great a buddy you are?"

"Wha?" Honda said turning to face his best friend. He stiffened when he saw none other than the famous superhero Flash standing next to Jounouchi and giving the blond a thumbs up. Next to Flash was Wonder Woman in her full regalia and Green Lantern.

Well... This was unexpected.

"Um... What just happened?" Honda asked, incredibly confused.

"Joey and I are text buddies," Flash said, tossing another thumbs up at Honda. "I figured you might want in on what's about to go down, especially since I just beamed Yugi and Yami down here."

"Besides," Wonder Woman said seriously, "you're Lights. We're hoping you can help mitigate this."

"Mitigate what?" Honda asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Keep people from dying," Lantern said.

"It's either you or Superman," Flash said, "and frankly, I get the feeling none of you really like Superman."

"He's okay," Honda said carefully. "But Anzu's the only one who can live in Metropolis for any extended period of time though. She's probably the Lightest of all of us."

"Yeah. That Superman guy's too Light fer us," Jounouchi said.

Another scream rang out forcing the group to stop talking and focus on the problem at hand. A flurry of feathers followed accompanied by Hawkgirl who landed nearby.

"Lantern! Diana!" she called. "Flash. Glad you could make it. But who's manning the Watchtower?"

"I'm not staying," Flash said. "As much as I want to, I gotta make sure Superman and Batman stay out of this. Things'd get worse faster if they were here."

Shayera nodded. "And J'onn?" she asked.

"Still with the Yugi and Yami, last I checked," the speedster said. "I'll try to catch him if I can."

"Don't worry if you can't," Honda said. "We may need all the backup we can for this."

"Yeah, 'bout that," Jounouchi said. "Who's the bad guys and who's the good guys?"

"Carter Hall and Mr. Bakura are in the tomb with a handful workers and armed men," Shayera said. "We're not sure when, but somehow Mr. Bakura managed to slip them past our watch earlier the other day."

"And the lunatic, psycho, and quiet one?" Jounouchi pressed earning him an annoyed eye roll from Honda.

"They're hunting down anyone who managed to get past the barrier before Shaadi cast it," she said. She glanced over her shoulder to where Shaadi stood unmoving, hands pressed together as if in prayer, and pouring his Shadows into maintaining the Spell. Three familiar Harpie Ladies hovered nearby, dive bombing anyone who dared approach the Advisor.

"Mai," Jounouchi murmured.

"What Spell is he casting?" Honda said.

" _Field Barrier_ I think it's called," Hawkgirl replied. "He's only letting our people, the Pharaoh, and the King in and out. Other than that, only the escapees brought back by Marik, Bakura, and Ryou are getting back in." Her brow furrowed. "He's growing tired. Mai's had to cast _Swords of Revealing Light_ at least twice now to hold back the bullets from the soldiers."

"How many are there?" Lantern asked. "Soldiers I mean."

"Not many," Shayera admitted. "But they fight well. I can't get close enough to attack." She snorted. "I call them soldiers, but I'm not sure if that's what they are or if they're just armed men terrified of what's going on here."

"Probably both," Lantern said morosely.

"Right. Problem solvin'," Jounouchi said. "Ready pal?"

"Gotcha covered," Honda replied. "Cyber Commander! Go find those solders and get rid of them!"

A dark skinned, black haired soldier with no shirt appeared before his summoner. A huge gun rested on his back with the barrels resting on his right shoulder. He held a large gun in his huge hands and a gas mask over his nose and mouth. The Machine Type Monster gave a cry and immediately sprinted out onto the field to set up and hold a perimeter around the pandemonium

"Flame Swordsman! Back up Cyber Commander!" Jounouchi hollered.

Another Monster appeared. He wore a dark blue suit with a bright orange skirt, a vicious looking of a bit outlandish burnished orange head dress and wielded a heavy broadsword that was sheathed in flame. The Monster roar and followed after Cyber Commander.

"Alright," Honda said. "We can handle it from here. Anyone wanna join?"

"I'll head back and man communications. I'll let you know if Batman or anyone else reports in," Flash said said. "Don't have too much fun without me."

"Yer missin'' out on th' party!" Jounouchi called giving a mock salute before rushing off to back uo Honda and Mai.

Flash grinned and vanished in the teleport light.

Wonder Woman lifted a brow in brief confusion. "Why would you start a party here?" she murmured.

"Don't ask," Lantern mumbled. "I'll make the temporary prison to keep the trouble makers under control," he said louder, holding his glowing green ring. "Why don't you go after the others."

"Where are they?" she asked, looking around.

"Probably in the tomb chasing Carter," Lantern said. "Good luck."

Shaking her head as Lantern took to the sky behind Hawkgirl, Diana leaped up onto one of the digging machines and scanned the battlefield for her compatriots and the entrance to the now infamous tomb. Sure enough, carved into a wall of stone not too far to the right was a dark opening. That had to be it. She loosened her Lasso and made directly for it.

* * *

 

"Stay close," Yami said. "We don't know which if any of the Spells and Traps in there are still active."

"None," Ishizu said, startling the group of three. Yami and Yugi turned to see the Priestess approaching them from the entrance. She looked harried but her eyes were cold and dark.

"Greetings Priestess." J'onn said, calm and seemingly unsurprised by Ishizu's appearance.

"Well met," she replied politely if curtly. "My clan and I are dampening the Shadows affects in here. That should weaken any Traps or Spells that may still be active. Unfortunately, it will also make it impossible to Travel in here. We have to go on foot."

"We can do that," Yugi said. He stiffened suddenly and burst into a brilliant smile, whirling around to stare outside at the tomb in excitement. "Jounouchi! Honda!"

"Let them hold the line," Ishizu said sharply. "Seth and Mokuba are already inside."

"What?" Yami exclaimed. Without waiting, he turned and rushed across the dark expanse of stone deeper into the chamber.

"Yami, wait!" Yugi cried, racing after his Ka.

Ishizu hiked up her skirt and ran after her King and Pharaoh, J'onn following closely behind her. A rush of air behind her drew her attention and she whirled around, calling her loyal Monster to her, "Spiria! To me!"

"Hold!" the new arrival called, raising a hand.

Ishizu froze as her faithful Monster appeared before her, crouched in defense mode. The elegant Monster had light gray-green skin, gray eyes, and long, straight steel blue eyes. Her feathery wings lifted slightly above her back, curved protectively around her body, just waiting for an excuse to spread and defend her mistress.

"Wait Spiria," Ishizu commanded when she recognized the woman hovering before her. "Diana," she said. "Are you here to help us or hinder us?"

"That depends," Wonder Woman said. "I won't help you kill anyone, but I will help you get Kaiba back."

"In that case," the Priestess said, her Monster standing and taking a wary position next to her mistress, "this way. We may need that lasso of yours. Quickly."

Ishizu turned and ran into the dark cavern that served as the main chamber of the tomb. Electric lights set up by the archaeologists dotted the room as did more old fashioned torches, lighting the way for the runners. Diana looked ahead and saw three doors: one directly in front of her, one on the wall to the left, and one on the wall to the right. She hesitated only long enough to notice Ishizu run directly towards the entrance on the far left which was gaping open before following after the Priestess closely. She saw J'onn standing defensively, back facing them, and picked up her speed.

But she never got the chance to go farther. Instead, she was blasted back by what felt like a solid wall of air. She was not the only one sent flying. She grunted as the air rushed out of her when a weight landed on top of her, crushing her to the ground. A groan gave her a clear idea of who it was.

"Arrow?" she gasped.

"Oh good," he groaned, rolling off of her and struggling back to his feet. "We could use the backup right about now."

"Backup against what?" Diana demanded. She glanced around in confusion at the others scattered around her in varying stages of distress.

One man she recognized as the idiot Carter Hall. The man next to him she did not recognize but could give a guess as to his identity. Ishizu was hunched behind her Monster. The Priestess stood quickly and began helping Yugi up. The young King was bleeding from a gash on the side of his head and seemed dazed but otherwise unharmed. Yami was nowhere to be seen but given Yugi's state, it made sense to assume Yami had returned to wherever it was he went when he merged with his other half. J'onn stood still, unmoving, phasing back to a more solid state.

That left Mokuba and Kaiba, or Seth in Kaiba's body still unaccounted for. They were nowhere to be seen which meant they were probably still inside that room. Heaving herself up with Arrow by her side, she looped her Lasso around her wrist and ran into the room. Instantly, she stopped, her eyes wide in shock and awe.

This was clearly the burial chamber. Or perhaps not the burial chamber since she did not see the sarcophagus, but definitely the room that housed all the worldly possessions the ancient Egyptians deemed worthy to be sent with Set into the Afterlife. There was a wooden bed, several chests filled with linens, jewels and golden riches, amulets, and statues. One statue Diana recognized immediately as the infamous Set animal, the symbol of Set, which she now knew was called a sha. It was painted a soft brown, faded with time, and rested atop a large box. It took her a moment to recognize the box for what it was, a sarcophagus for a mummified sha.

Two sets of large, bright electric lights stood on either corner of the room nearest the entrance, illuminating the items and walls within. More importantly, they illuminated their adversary. The person's back was to her which gave her the advantage. She caught sight of movement just on the edge of the shadows cast by the lights and recognized Kaiba's body leaning heavily on a trunk. Mokuba lay crumbled next to the chest unconscious. Furious, Diana prepared to lash out with her Lasso when a hand suddenly caught her, stopping her.

"Don't!" Arrow cried.

"What are you doing?" she hissed in anger, glaring viciously at the vigilante. Arrow stood firm, J'onn gazing at her cooly from over Arrow's shoulder.

"Listen to me," the vigilante said sharply. "He doesn't know what he's doing. He doesn't recognize us. His only purpose is to protect Set's body. He wants us out. If we leave, he'll let us go. He's only fighting us because he sees us as trespassers."

"Then why is he attacking Seth?" Diana demanded. "It's Seth's grave too. He's a part of Set. Where's Kaiba?"

"We've been trying to talk to him for the past several minutes," Arrow said quickly. "He won't or _can't_  speak. He may not even understand us. He doesn't recognize Seth in Kaiba's body," Arrow said quickly. "As far as he knows, the only Set he knows and cares about is still in the sarcophagus. He doesn't realize Set's been reborn."

The Amazoness huffed but conceded. "Fine. But you still haven't told me where Kaiba is."

Arrow blinked in brief surprise before both he and Diana were yanked out of the way of another blast similar to the one that threw the Amazon and her comrades-at-arms back moments ago. When the dust cleared, she opened her eyes, and nodded her thanks to J'onn who nodded in return before focusing his attention once more on their attacker. Diana stood, tightened her grip on her Lasso, and took a battle stance next to Arrow and the Manhunter. Their adversary shifted slightly so the manmade light could finally shine on his face and Diana suddenly felt confused.

"Yeah," Arrow said, hesitantly knocking an arrow to his bowstring, "it's Kaiba we're fighting."


	36. What Truly Matters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the universe is truly complex and two Akhs are not happy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** A quick update because I know the last chapter was a bit confusing. I knew that going in so I kept it short. This chapter is longer and hopefully clears up anything that may have seemed odd. If you still have questions, let me know in the comments and I'll clarify the, for you. ^_^

"Someone care to explain?" Diana said coldly once she recovered from the surprise.

"It is as Arrow said," J'onn said, speaking suddenly. "He does not know us. His mind is...ancient. Older than I remember Kaiba's ever feeling." The Manhunter's yellow eyes narrowed. "And he wants us to leave."

"And the feathers?" Wonder Woman asked.

She could not help but notice the numerous speckled feathers sprouting from Kaiba's head, mingling with his short brown hair as if they were a part of him. Glacial blue eyes which she now thought resembled a falcon's eyes more than a human's stared directly at her as if attempting to pierce her soul. Glittering tattoos of detailed feathers that caught the light from the electric bulbs and flickering flames flowed down muscular tan arms, rippling and shifting as if they were real and not mere renderings by an artistic hand.

The being that was and was not Kaiba wore a white shendyt, pleated and gathered in the front. A woven sash trimmed in gold in the shape of feathers bound the shendyt tightly to his waist. A blue shirt that was almost the same shade of blue as Kaiba's eyes covered his torso. Feathered wings spread wide from an amulet of blue emblazoned with the Set symbol formed a thick torque-like necklace which hung from the not-Kaiba's throat.

"He's a Ka," Yugi said, coming up beside Diana. He rubbed a hand along the cut near his hairline, staring at his hand when he pulled it away and wincing at the blood. "Ka are thought to be duplicates of the human they once were. But something many people forget is that the Ka does not mimic the body, it mimics the Ba. They were a mirror image of their formerly human appearance until after the body's death."

"The Ba were often depicted as birds with human heads or humans with feathered wings," Yugi continued. "That was not an artistic depiction, it was as accurate as the ancient Egyptians could get. The Ka were reflections of their Ba. The more powerful the Ka, the more human the Ba appeared. There's more but that's not important. What _is_ important is that in ancient Egypt, the Ka served two main purposes: they provided life to the living Ba's body and protected it after death, forever bound to the darkness of the tomb until the Ba returned from its daily flight under the sun. If the Ba died or never returned by sunset, the Ka would die."

"But Seth isn't dead. He's here," Wonder Woman countered.

"True, but Kaiba doesn't know that the way he is now," Yugi said solemnly, his eyes sad. "That...is no longer Kaiba. That's Set's Ka. Without Mokuba awake to calm him or a Ba he recognizes as his own, Kaiba has returned to being Set's Ka with no purpose save to protect the empty shell he once gave life to and wait for death. It's all he knows, all he has."

"Okay, then how do we fix this?" Wonder Woman asked.

"We don't," Yami said, appearing beside Yugi, an arm thrust protectively between Set's Ka and Yugi. "We've tried. Seth and Mokuba are the closest thing we have to a chance at saving Kaiba now. If we can keep Kaiba from attacking or escaping, it could give Seth and Mokuba a chance to bring him back."

"Right." Wonder Woman stiffened, looking around the room for someone she only just realized was missing. "Where's Ishizu?" she asked.

"She was giving Mr. Bakura and Carter a very significant piece of her mind when we left her," Yami said, a wicked grin on his face. A cry followed by dull thuds from the chamber behind them emphasized his point. "Kaiba didn't appoint her as his de facto leader without reason."

Diana smirked. "I would enjoy getting to know her better," she said.

"Why hasn't he attacked us yet?" Arrow asked warily, nodding to the motionless Ka.

"Because we aren't attacking him," Yugi said. "If we make a move he deems threatening, he will attack. But not until then."

"He's also tiring," Yami said. "A Ka can only manifest like this within the tomb in which its former body was buried without a Ba binding it for so long. I supposedly did something similar when Yugi's Grandpa entered my tomb and found the Millennium Puzzle I was imprisoned in. I don't remember it..."

"But Grandpa does," Yugi said gently.

"If you don't remember it, then does that mean Kaiba won't remember this?" J'onn asked.

"Probably not," Yami confirmed. "Seth! Is Mokuba alright?"

"Yes," Seth called back, standing. Mokuba was sitting up now and rubbing the back of his neck gingerly, eyes never leaving Kaiba. "Do not attack. Let me try again."

"Be careful," Yugi said, pushing Yami's arm down to stand next to his Ka, tangling their fingers together. _:Do you think it might come to that?:_ he asked mentally.

 _:Let's hope not,:_ Yami replied, glancing at the Justice League members next to them.

"You said he was tiring," Arrow said to Yami, taking care not to appear threatening while still ready to attack at a moment's notice. "What did you mean by that?"

Yami's eyes narrowed. "No one's strength is limitless except Ra-Horakhty's. A Ka's power depends on its spiritual strength and its connection to its Ba. But without a Ba to protect and root it, its power is nowhere near as strong as it should be."

"And Seth isn't buried here," Arrow murmured, eyes shifting to the Ba still possessing Kaiba's body.

"Precisely."

"If Seth can convince Kaiba to return to his own body, it should not be too big of a problem," Yugi said. "We have a backup plan in case things don't work out."

"What kind of plan?" Arrow asked. He never got a reply.

"Wonder Woman," Yami said instead, "keep your Lasso ready. We may need it."

Seth stood tall, wincing from the jab in his side where a trunk corner had hit him when Kaiba blasted him. "Seto," he said softly in hieratic, taking a wary step forward. "I am not a trespasser here. This was my resting ground just as much as it was yours." Another step. "But we do not need this place anymore, Seto. We were reborn, you and I."

He took another step and the Ka that should be Kaiba shifted, lifting its arms from its sides slightly. It was only then that Diana realized the reason for the rippling movement of the feathers on the Ka's arms. It was layers of feathers that spread out from the Ka's arms to two points between its shoulder blades. Wings.

Seth stopped his approach and stood still. He was within arm's reach of his Ka, the closest anyone had managed to get without being brutally attacked. It gave Yugi hope that somewhere deep in the Ka's mind Kaiba was still there. Seth lifted his arm slowly, palm upwards, and held it out halfway between himself and his Ka.

"Touch me," he said in hieratic. "This body belongs to you. I am your Ba. You need not trust my words. Trust what you feel."

Indecision and distrust darkened the Ka's eyes, but that was a step up from the empty nothingness that had been there earlier.

"Mokuba," Seth said in Japanese, the tone of his voice even and gentle, unthreatening. "Call for you brother."

The younger Kaiba stepped out from behind Seth in his big brother's body and stared up at the spirit that should be his big brother. "Nii-sama?" he called in a voice that was almost a question.

The Ka froze, its birdlike eyes widening and focusing on the little boy. It head cocked to the side sharply in a fashion that was, again, more avian than human. Despite its alien feel, it filled Mokuba with hope.

"Nii-sama?" he said again, this time louder, braver. "It's me. Mokuba. Remember me?" The Ka did not move. "You promised we'd always be together, that you'd never leave me." The blue falcon eyes shifted edged with an emotion that had not been there moments ago. "You _never_ break your promises," Mokuba said firmly. "You taught me to always keep _my_ promises." The boy's hands curled into small fists and tears pooled in his dark gray eyes. "So don't break your promise to me. Come home."

The Ka did not move, but its eyes gleamed with emotion and indecision. Everyone waited for a response, any kind of response. But there was nothing. Then, finally, the Ka extended its own hand and placed its fingers gingerly on Seth's open palm. The people in the room released a collective sigh of relief. It was a pity it would be so short lived.

"A Ka," a voice whispered. "A true Ka."

Yugi whirled around as did Yami and the rest of the group. Only the Ka that should be Kaiba did not move.

"Mr. Bakura?" Yugi gasped. "But...Ishizu..." His voice fell away when he noticed the crumbled forms of Carter and Ishizu on the floor beyond. But that meant the thuds from before had been...

"Keep him away from us," Seth said calmly, capturing his Ka's gaze with his own and holding it steady. "Do not let him distract us."

"Gladly," Arrow said, lifting his bow and pulling the string taunt, aiming directly at Mr. Bakura's head, ready to fire when necessary.

"Mokuba," Seth said gently, "stay close to us."

Mokuba nodded and scooted closer to Seth. He stared up at his big brother's true Ka form. For some reason, the sight did not scare him or even disturb him. It filled him with awe, joy, and pride. In this form, Seto could fly. That had always been the elder Kaiba's deepest desire, to fly with his Blue Eyes. The wings were beautiful, ethereal, and clearly powerful if the blasts of wind they created to blow back their entire group was anything to go by.

The one thing that did disturb Mokuba was the silence. Not once had his brother's Ka form made a sound, not even a grunt of effort or a sigh of breath. His chest did not move, nor did his nostrils flare or his lips part allowing him to breathe. A Ka was a purely spiritual being. It had no need to breathe. It had no need for the material, physical world. It had need of one thing and one thing only: its Ba.

That was what scared Mokuba. The thought of his big brother, the one thing Mokuba could count on to remain constant and loving in his life, suddenly no longer needing or wanting him and leaving him behind was too terrifying to comprehend. Seto needed Mokuba. Mokuba needed Seto. They needed each other. They could not live without the other. Mokuba could not lose Seto. Not for anything.

"So beautiful," Mr. Bakura murmured. "So wild. So...so powerful."

"Mr. Bakura," J'onn said calmly. "I'm afraid I must ask you to step back."

"Can't you see?" Mr. Bakura asked, eyes sparkled with excitement. "It's...it's real. I've studied it and theorized its existence but it's real. This...this is proof. This is the proof I need."

"Proof for what?" Diana demanded.

"Seto," Seth murmured in hieratic so softly as to be a whisper, "return to me. You have wandered far and seen much. But it is time to come home. It is time to wake from this dream. Return to me or you will never find rest. You will wander forever in the endless darkness until you fade into nothingness."

He took one last step so he stood chest to chest with his Ka. Without breaking eye contact, he turned his hand so it was parallel to their bodied, the only thing separating them from each other. His Ka's fingers remained still, just barely touching his palm until he gently pressed his own fingers between his Ka's, twining them together. He lifted his other hand and tenderly trailed the pads of his fingers along the sharp jawline up into the soft brown hair, brushing the feathers there.

"Your appearance gives me hope," Seth whispered. "Seeing you like this, it reminds me that I am strong. That _we_ are strong. That we are irrevocably bound to one another." He leaned in close, still holding his Ka's gaze with his. His Ka mirrored his movements, leaning forward until they were but a hair's breadth apart. "You are mine," Seth whispered, "and I am yours. Return to me, my Ka," he breathed.

His Ka's eyes softened, its eyelids drooping as if lulled by some unheard lullaby.

In the outer chambers Ishizu shifted, favoring her injured leg. She lifted her head and saw the beginnings of her Regent's Ka returning to its Ba. The man who had shot her with such an unusual weapon was standing in the doorway leading to the burial chambers. She also saw what the others did not.

"Pharaoh _stop him!_ " she cried.

Her warning startled the Ka who stiffened and turned to the sound of Ishizu's voice almost as if recognizing it. It saw the mortal who dared disturb its Ba's resting place, its home, pull something from his pocket and its instincts screamed _threat!_ But before it could act, it was yanked back towards the presence it knew but did not and awareness suddenly faded.

Seth sensed his Ka about to strike and pulled it back to him, _into_ him. That short moment of vulnerability before striking had given Seth a small window of opportunity. It was easier and less jarring if both parties merged willingly, but forcing the merge could be done so long as both had their defenses down. Thankfully, they had already been on the verge of merging when Ishizu distracted them making the forced union less painful but no less sudden.

"No!"

Seth ignored the defiant cry and fell to his knees hugging himself. He gasped as his soul and Kaiba's merged and separated, whirling around each other within Kaiba's body reacquainting themselves and finding their rightful places. He closed his eyes and sank deep into their shared soul room. This had to be dealt with now.

* * *

 

"Mokuba," Yugi called. "Whatever you do, don't leave them alone."

"Count on it," Mokuba said fiercely. He positioned himself directly in between his brother's hunched body and the others.

Yugi narrowed his eyes. "What is the meaning of this?" he demanded. "Why did you do this to him?"

"Do you have any idea how rare it is to see a Ka and a Ba in their most primal form?" Mr. Bakura said, eyes alight with dangerous glee. "I can think of several houses who would pay a high price for that."

"Price?" Yugi gasped faintly. "You mean... _sell_ a _soul_?"

"A commodity merely," Mr. Bakura said, waving his hand dismissively. "Just like land, money, oil, water... Each is a commodity, but none are worth fighting for." His eyes focused on Kaiba's still form, like a hunter focused on prey. "There is very little in the universes worth fighting for except more time and something new."

"You're sick," Arrow hissed in disgust.

"I agree," Diana said.

J'onn remained silent, but his eyes were glazed as he focused on this man's thoughts. They were surprisingly orderly, well organized, and cold in an almost scientific way. Everything he said and did was objective and calculating. He truly believed everything he said. He saw Kaiba as something useful.

A Ka and Ba as two separate entities, independent yet codependent for their very existence was a new concept for him. It intrigued him as it would any scientist who discovered proof of something they always theorized existed but never actually saw. The image of Kaiba as a Ka was portrayed prominently in the man's mind as was the sight of Kaiba's body.

Mr. Bakura had already put two and two together and gotten four. If the feathered being with the same face as the human before it was the Ka, then that meant the person in the human body was the Ba. It was everything he had ever dreamed of. This would not only buy him more time, it could buy him power, entitlement. No, Entitlement. It would make him an Entitled.

"You are not from this world," J'onn said, finally understanding.

"What?" Arrow gasped.

"What do you mean?" Yugi demanded.

"You are not from this universe," J'onn said, narrowing his eyes.

"You think your universe is the only one in existence?" Mr. Bakura -was that even his real name?- asked.

"No," Diana said. "We know it's not."

"Good," Mr. Bakura said. "At least you aren't complete imbeciles." He clasped his hands together in front of him and smiled politely. "Now, I'll ask politely. Hand over you friend there, and I'll be on my way."

"I'm afraid that's not possible," J'onn said.

"Over my dead body," Wonder Woman said.

"That can be amendable," Mr. Bakura said easily, drawing his weapon. It was a gun, but a gun unlike any the group had ever seen before. A canister of orange liquid began glowing eerily accompanied by a high pitched whine.

 _:Yami,:_ Yugi said, stepping back in fear.

 _:I'm ready, aibou,:_ the Pharaoh whispered in his mind.

"Diana," Yugi said aloud. "Don't let this last longer than a few minutes. Arrow?" The vigilante glanced at Yugi warily from under his hood. "Protect Kaiba."

 _:Alright,:_ Yugi said. _:I'm ready.:_

Without waiting for a reply, Yugi closed his eyes, grasped Yami's soul, and pulled him as close as he could. It reminded him of when Yami used to take over his body back when they still held the Millennium Puzzle. Only instead of allowing Yami to take over, he brought him closer to a level he had only experienced a few times but knew intimately. And then he was no longer. He was no longer Yami. They were now one.

"If you want my cousin," he said with all the power and authority a Pharaoh of Egypt and full Akh rightfully wielded. "Then you'll have to go through me first."

* * *

 

"Seto!" Seth called the moment he appeared in their shared soul room.

The room was dark and filled with long, dark shadows. Seth squinted into the dark corners of the room before movement to right caught his eyes. Sure enough, there was his Ka, curled in a fetal position in the far right corner by the trunk. Wide glacial blue eyes were staring directly at him with apprehension.

Seth had never felt so powerful suddenly. It was as if his and Seto's positions had been switched. Seth was now the one with the power to accept or reject and Seto was now in the precarious position of relying on Seth to exist. It was exhilarating and terrifying.

Heaving a deep sigh to calm his nerves, Seth approached his Ka, holding Seto's gaze with his own. When he was close enough, he knelt so he was now at eye level with his Ka. For a moment, he did not move, simply gazed directing into those birdlike eyes. Then he slowly lifted his right hand and held it palm up just as he had in the physical world moments before and waited.

Minutes passed before Seto finally placed his fingers hesitantly on Seth's palm. Repeating his motions from before, Seth turned his hand so it was parallel with his and Seto's chests and entwined their fingers together. This time, however, he went one step further. He squeezed his Ka's hand briefly before bringing it up to his chest where the soft, translucent linen of his shawl met his skin. He wanted his Ka to feel what was beneath his shawl, beneath his skin: the fluttering, reassuring beat of his heart.

He knew the moment his Ka felt it. Seto's eyes flickered in confusion and surprise before breaking away from Seth's to focus on where their hands rested. "You feel that," Seth whispered. "Just as you feel the shadow you cast. It is yours just as this," he pressed their twined hands harder to his chest, "is mine."

His Ka tilted his head sharply, those hard eyes lifting to meet his once more seeking comprehension. Seth smiled gently.

"You are mine," Seth said. "So this is yours," he said, brushing his thumb over Seto's hand. "And your shadow is mine. We are one and the same, two halves of the same soul. Separate, I am Seth and you are Kaiba Seto. Together we are Set, cousin of Atem, and keeper of the Millennium Rod. I am your Ba and you are my Ka. You are the Regent of the Shadow Realm and Earthbound Shadow Kingdom."

Something very human flashed in those cold avian eyes.

"Your form reflects mine," Seth continued. "Let me show you."

Seth dropped his barriers and opened himself to his most basic, raw form just like the one Seto currently wore. When he opened his eyes once more, he was hyper aware of the feathers in his hair and at the nape of his neck. Feathers that were both tattoo and real rustled as he reached out and traced the backs of his fingers along Seto's cheek. Seth's arms were covered in soft brown and white speckled feathers. He was more bird than Seto, but more human than most Ba could ever be.

"You see now," Seth said, reveling in the shocked gaze of his silent Ka. "I am a Ba. More importantly, I am _your_ Ba, and you are _my_ Ka." He leaned forward so he was very much in Seto's personal space and breathed in a voice just barely audible, "My Ka."

Seth pressed his cheek to his Ka's, nuzzled him tenderly, lovingly. "My Ka," he murmured.

The hand pressing against his heart twitched. "Seth," a voice that was his own but not whispered.

"Seto," Seth murmured.

"What..."

"Shhh," Seth said softly. "For now, just return to me."

When his Ka finally relaxed in his arms, Seth knew he had won.

"Where am I?" he heard Seto asked, confusion clear in his words.

"In our soul room," Seth replied, pulling his power and influence back until his human traits emerged and his avian form was absorbed back into him. But he did not pull away from the nuzzle.

"That's not what I meant."

Seth sighed. "We are in Set's tomb. Safe."

"Mokuba?" Seto asked in a slightly stronger voice.

"Safe. He is next to us in the waking world."

Seto did not speak for several moments. "What happened to me?"

"You were taken from me," Seth said, instinctively holding his Ka tighter, closer. "But you came back." He turned his head to whisper the words into Kaiba's ear. "You came back to me, my Ka."

Seto shivered minutely but made no other indication of his feelings. "Who else is here?" he asked instead.

"Yugi, Yami, Arrow, J'onn, and Diana are here with us," Seth said. "Ishizu was here but she... She is wounded I believe."

Seto stiffened. "How?" he demanded coldly.

Seth sighed in regret as he reluctantly leaned back to gaze at his reawakened Ka directly. "I am unsure. She was outside of our burial chambers with Carter Hall and Mr. Bakura." Seth's eyes darkened as he realized something. "Mr. Bakura recognized you for what you are," he said. "He knew you were a Ka."

Seto's brows furrowed in disbelief. "How?"

Seth shook his head. "I do not know. I forced us to merge back into our soul room before you could attack him."

"Attack him?" Seto repeated, bewildered.

Seth nodded. "You are a Ka and the duty of a Ka whose Ba has passed on is to defend the body as best it can until the Ba returns from its daily flight under the sun. You were doing just that. You never attacked unless you deemed yourself or Set's corpse in danger."

"Did I hurt anyone?" Seto asked after a moment.

"No," Seth reassured him. "Only stunned-" He stopped speaking abruptly when he felt the Dark and Light suddenly merge into a perfect balance that could only be one thing.

"That..." Seto murmured in shock.

"Atem," Seth confirmed, just as unnerved. "What is going on out there?"

"If we woke up, I think we'd know," Seto said, the familiar snark a welcome relief.

"As you say," Seth said, his lips quirking up in relief. It was nice to have his Ka back. "Do you wish to wake as you are or..."

Seto considered a moment before replying. "If Yugi and Yami brought Atem into this, then they had good reason." He looked up to the carving on the column on the Egyptian wall to his right in thought. "Perhaps we should join them."

Seth nodded. "As you say," he said.

Without another word, he leaned close to Seto, closer, as close as he could get until he leaned _into_ his Ka. Then he was no longer Seth and his Ka was no longer Seto. They were Set. This arrangement could not last long. But hopefully it would not have to.

Set stood from the dark corner of his soul room, closed his eyes and returned to the physical world. The body he currently inhabited did not truly belong to him. If he stayed long in this body, he could potentially destroy it. He prayed to Obelisk such a thing would not happen. He felt as well as heard a deep growl in his soul and Deck -Deck?- which he recognized as his god's and smiled.

Forcing his borrowed legs to move, he stood and lifted his head. A young boy stood next to him, the same boy he remember from the last time he wore this body. He knew this boy's name. Mokuba. This boy was precious. Nothing could happen to him. _Nothing._

 _Such devotion,_ he thought absently.

Lifting his eyes to take in his surroundings, he felt vaguely ill. This was the burial chamber of a tomb. Something in his gut told him this was _his_ burial chamber. Just the thought of it made him uncomfortable. Suddenly, a voice he would never be able to forget, a voice that forever haunted his mind, echoed in the stone chamber.

"You'll have to go through me first."

Such simple words. But the power behind them was crushing even to him, the authority forcing him to physically fight the urge to fall on one knee and swear his allegiance to this man once more. Biting back the desire, he turned his eyes to the scene unfolding at the entrance of this room and his eyes grew round.

An Amazoness stood shoulder to shoulder with a hooded archer - _kohai_ , something deep inside him said possessively- a blue-green skinned humanoid who appeared to be struggling between staring at him and staring at the third person in the room. The only person Set truly cared about.

"'Tem," Set whispered.


	37. The Judgement of Set

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Shaadi gets a break, an enemy escapes at the expense of the Dark, a Judgement Game is played, and Set is not okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** Wow, ok. Seriously delay. I'm sorry. I'm now working 2 jobs and taking an online summer class. Biology. Biology is evil. Life sciences are evil. Give me a physical science any day.
> 
> Anywho, free time has been at a premium. I literally sat down and wrote this chapter in one sitting just now. I should have been doing my biology which I haen't started and is due tomorrow at midnight. It's a week's worth of biology that I haven't started and I work 10-5:30 tomorrow. In other words, I'd better get to work on that now.
> 
>  **Last thing,** Ma'at is a legitimate Monster. She's not a Divine Beast but she is a Fairy/Effect Monster. She was used by Yuki Judai in YGO GX. She's pretty powerful and I have a use for her...eventually.
> 
> Again, sorry about the delay and enjoy.

"That's all of them!" Marik called as his Gravekeeper's Heretic tossed the last escapee onto the ground. The Monster gave the person a sharp smack with its staff when they struggled to get back up and run.

"Well then," Ryou said, eyeing the pile of groaning and quivering humans, "let's get them back inside the barrier."

"I can do that," Marik said.

"Before you do that," Bakura said, gesturing for Necrofear to stand watch over the group of terrified captives. He strolled up to the Priest and crossed his arms in dark amusement. "I see you have a Monster that resembles me," he said with a hungry leer. "Should I take that as flattery?"

Marik snorted. "Get over yourself, Thief," he said. "Ryou," he called. "Get _Change of Heart_ ready. We may need her when we enter the barrier. The last thing we need is to be outnumbered by desperate people."

"But that would require controlling another person against their will," Ryou argued, drawing the card anyway.

"I'll take the blame," Bakura said, startling Ryou. "If you don't act fast enough, I'll activate her myself. The Pharaoh will understand the circumstances. Even a Judgement Game couldn't penalize me for defending my yadonoushi."

Ryou sighed and nodded. Marik tightened his grip on his knife and reached out with his Shadows. He could feel Shaadi's tired tug in reply. Interestingly, he could also feel Mai, Honda, and Jounouchi close by too.

"Well, well," he murmured. "It's a regular party in there." He grinned. "Let's crash it."

He grabbed one of the captives nearest him as did the others of his triad and their Monsters and together they stepping through the barrier.

"Took you long enough," was the greeting they got.

"Get off your high horse, Rook," Bakura sneered.

"Hey! Lunatic," Jounouchi called, sending Marik's hackles tingling. "That all of 'em?"

"Yes," Marik growled, dropping his prisoner on the ground unceremoniously. "No thanks to you."

"Stop it with the testosterone!" Mai snapped. "Shaddi's about had it. We have things almost under control in here but Shaadi will have to lower the barrier soon and things will probably heat up again when that happens."

"Right," Ryou said. " _Change of Heart_ ," he commanded his Spell card which manifested before him as a beautiful young woman with one angelic wing and one demonic wing, "possess anyone who approaches Shaadi. Try not to kill anyone if you can."

He glanced at Hawkgirl wielding her mace and intimidating the people currently kneeling on the ground with their hands on their heads. Mai's Cyber Harpie Lady Sisters hovered near the Thanagaran and Jounouchi's Flame Swordsman and Honda's Cyber Commander.

"I get the feeling we won't be well liked after this," Ryou said softly. "Our first exposure and already we're the 'bad guys.'"

"Are we?" Mai asked, stepping up next to him.

"The media would say yes," Ryou said seriously. "And the media is what the majority of people rely on for their news. I doubt even the Internet would give us a decent defense."

"And the Justice League?" Mai asked, eyeing Green Lantern nearby.

"What do you think?"

Mai glanced at the Scribe and sighed in resignation. Then she felt the _Field Barrier_ Spell suddenly falter and turned back to Shaadi. The Adviser's face was scrunched in concentration and several beads of sweat were forming on his brow.

"Shaadi's going to break," she muttered. She quickly did some calculations before turning to Green Lantern in shock. "I'm an idiot," she breathed.

"Well," Bakura said snidely, " _you_ said it. OW!" He glared at the Sorceress while trying his best to avoid rubbing his sore head and damaged ego.

"Lantern!" Mai called. "Shaadi's about had it. Think you can put up a barrier around this place?"

Green Lantern nodded stiffly. "I can do you one better." He raised his ring and a dome of emerald light enclosed only the captives inside. 

"It's alright Shaadi," she said, placing a gentle hand on her friend's shoulder startling him out of his trance. "You can let go."

Orange eyes opened wide in surprise. When he noticed the newly formed green dome, his eyelids droopped closed in relief and he slumped to the ground in exhaustion. "Many thanks," he gasped, breathing hard.

"Don't mention it," Mai said, smiling softly squeezing Shaadi's shoulder comfortingly. A moment later, she stiffened and whirled to the tomb in shock. "What...?"

"It cannot be," Shaadi murmured, eyes huge with horror.

"They're insane!" Marik growled. "Thief! Keep things under control here. I'll be right back!"

"What's going on?" Shayera called to Mai noticing to disturbed behavior of the harpies around her.

"It's Set," Bakura replied, glaring after Marik's retreating back. "And the Pharaoh. They've reunited."

"Set?" Lantern gasped.

"As in their souls have united," Ryou explained. "Both Set's and Atem's."

" _Both_ of them?"

Ryou nodded and gulped. "This... could get bad." He hesitated for only a second. "I'm going too."

"Yadonoushi!"

"My father's in there, 'Kura!"

Bakura groaned. "Stay here Necrofear," he commanded his blue skinned Monster. "I have a few idiots to deal with." Then he vanished.

* * *

 

"'Tem."

Atem smiled at the familiar nickname. "Set," he said with a smile, refusing to turn his back on the enemy. "Late for the fun as usual."

Set sniffed. "You speak nonsense, 'Tem," he said, stepping forward to join the group. "Isis," he called. "Are you well?"

The Priestess winced from her place on the ground but nodded firmly. "My leg is useless but otherwise I'm fine."

Sharp blue eyes that were much older and much more powerful than Kaiba's or Seth's ever could be glanced at J'onn and the Amazoness briefly before settling on Arrow. He nodded to the hooded vigilante whom a part of him steadfastly declared as  _his_. Then he turned his gaze to the man threatening his cousin.

"It would behoove you to lower your weapon," Set said calmly. "Neither my Pharaoh nor I have been known for our patience."

"Speak for yourself, Set," Atem said with a sly grin.

"Amazing," Mr. Bakura murmured. His eyes gleamed hungrily. "You were a Ka and Ba as well," he said, gazing directly at Atem. "Fascinating."

"Can I shoot him?" Arrow asked.

"Yes."

"No!" Atem said sharply, overpowering his cousin's voice. He sent a tired glare at Set who ignored him. "Unlike some people," he said deliberately returning his gaze to Mr. Bakura significantly, "I do not endorse senseless murder."

"Murder?" Mr. Bakura repeated in incredulously. "Why would I kill him? Either of you?" He smiled. "Why damage a potential investment?"

Atem's eyes narrowed viciously. "Do not test me, Mr. Bakura." he warned. "You are already guilty of stealing the soul of my friend and cousin. That by itself is a death sentence. Unfortunately for you," he added with a sly smile, "I don't have the luxury of deciding your fate. That honor belongs to others."

"Oh?" Mr. Bakura asked. "And who might these mysterious others be?"

"Me," said Mokuba who appeared between Atem and Set, standing as tall as his small frame would allow.

"You would pit a boy against me?" Mr. Bakura asked in disbelief.

"This _boy_ has the backing of two gods," Mokuba said furiously, holding out two fingers emphatically. "Both want a word with you."

"Gods do not exist, son," Mr. Bakura said gently. "Just people and more powerful people."

"Perhaps they don't exist in your reality," Atem said. "But they do here."

"Ishizu!"

Caught by surprise, the Priestess turned and was immediately smothered by a hug from her frantic brother. "Marik?"

"Are you okay? What happened to your leg?" he demanded, staring at his big sister's bleeding leg. Without waiting for an answer, he placed his hands over the wound applying pressure to slow the bleeding. "Damn. We need a doctor!"

The prone form nearby stirred and Carter lifted his head, looking around in bewilderment. He blinked when he noticed his business partner holding a gun to Set. _This_ was Set. Not Kaiba, but Set. And that fool Mr. Bakura was going to shoot him.

He scrambled to his feet, pressing a hand to the wound in his chest and began making his careful way over to Set. Set was a god. A gun could not kill a god. But that did not mean it would not hurt. Carter could not let Set be hurt. Set had to live.

"Father!"

Carter fumbled with his balance when a streak of white rushed past him almost knocking him over. For his part, even Mr. Bakura seemed surprised by the new voice. He turned around, removing his eyes from his opponents for only a second. But that second was long enough for the others to act.

Wonder Woman looped her Lasso around Mr. Bakura's body, pulling the cord taunt so it pinched his skin mercilessly. The sudden pain startled Mr. Bakura, causing him to drop the gun which clattered uselessly to the ground. J'onn used the distraction to rush to Ishizu's side. The vigilante took his chance and aimed his bolt at Mr. Bakura.

"No!" Ryou cried, stepping between Arrow and his father. "Please. He's my Papa!"

Arrow groaned just as a hand appeared on his bow and forced it down.

"No, Arrow," Atem said fiercely. "Do not stoop to his level."

Arrow glared at Atem but lowered his weapon. Mr. Bakura was currently under Diana's firm control and Carter was not an immediate threat. "Fine," he huffed in pent up frustration.

"She needs medical attention," J'onn called suddenly from his place by the Priestess. "Her wound is deep but not life threatening. Still, it's proximity to an artery concerns me. Would it be safe to take her to the Watchtower?"

"As if I'd let you take her anywhere without me!" Marik snapped.

"Naturally," J'onn replied smoothly.

"Yes," Set said, aiming his gaze at the reincarnation of the woman he once saw as an older sister. "Be gentle with her. If I find her mishandled in any way-"

"I take full responsibility," the Martian said, taking the injured woman into his arms and standing. Marik stayed close to the alien's side.

"Then make sure she lives," Set commanded.

J'onn nodded. "And Carter?" he added, glancing at the wounded man nearby.

"Leave him," Atem said. "We will deal with him. Should he survive the Penalty Game, we will send him after you. You have my word."

J'onn hesitated but nodded nonetheless. He tapped his communicator and said aloud, "J'onn to Watchtower. Three for transport with a medical emergency."

"Gotcha," came Flash's reply. "I figured we might get a few so the medical bay's primed and ready. I got your signals. Hang on."

A bright flash temporarily lit the chambers until the natural light from the far entrance and the electrical light remained.

"Set," Carter said. "My lord Set."

"Be silent fool," Set hissed. "I have very little patience as it is. I have even less for you. Atem," he said softer in hieratic, "this body cannot take much more strain. We need to take care of this quickly."

"Understood," Atem replied in kind. In English he said, "Normally, a formal Judgment Game would be cast to judge your guilt and decide a suitable Penalty Game. But seeing as our time is short, I suggest an alternative."

"But-!" Mokuba stopped when he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see Set who was gazing down at him with an emotion that the youngest Kaiba always associated with Seto.

"You _will_ be judged, but not by us," Atem continued. "Both you and Carter have trespassed on the souls of this Court to the point even Ra-Horakhty has demanded punishment. Because of that, we cannot declare a fair Penalty." He smirked. "But Ma'at can."

"Who?" Arrow asked.

"Pharaoh, no!" Ryou pleaded. "He's my Papa. Please. He's just Carter's backer. He's from the Museum back home. He has nothing to do with this!"

"Ryou," Atem said gently, "please stand aside."

"I can't let you do this." Ryou's soft brown eyes watered. "Punish Carter but _don't_ drag my father into this!"

"You don't understand, Ryou," Atem tried again.

"He's the last blood relative I have," the Scribe said. "Please, don't do this."

"Always the loyal son."

Ryou did not have the chance to wonder what his father meant before something sharp pierced his back. He gasped in shock.

"Ryou!" Atem cried, rushing towards his friend in need.

Ryou blinked slowly, and saw the same horror reflected in the eyes of his friends that he knew was written clearly on his own. What happened? _Why_ did it happen? Why would his father-

 _:Don't you **dare** die on me now, Ryou!:_ Bakura commanded in his mind. The next thing he knew, everything was fuzzy and he was watching the world through his eyes but unable to control his body. Bakura had taken control.

"Like hell I'm going to let you kill my yadonoushi, you Osiris accursed _fool_!"

Bakura deliberately stepped forward, away from the blade in his back. He knew instinctively it was not fatal, but it was serious and damn it all it _hurt_. He could feel Ryou watching through their shared eyes in shock, unable to comprehend what happened, but he refused to relinquish control. Bakura staggered but recovered enough to whirl on his assailant and strike out with his own knife, but was met by nothing.

Unable to stop himself, he rode through his forward momentum. He stumbled, tangling his foot in Wonder Woman's now empty Lasso and hopped painfully to keep from kissing the ground. He would not allow himself to be humiliated on top of being wounded.

"Where the fuck did he go?" he exclaimed.

"Easy, Bakura." Atem caught the Thief as he staggered. "He vanished."

"He ran like a coward," Set hissed in fury.

"After he tried to kill Ryou!" Bakura snarled viciously.

"He should not have been able to escape my Lasso," Wonder Woman said, reeling in her now limp cord. "I've never seen anyone disappear like that before."

"I agree," Arrow said. "It looked like he just pixelated out of existence."

"I'll hunt that bastard down and rip his godforsaken heart out!" Bakura growled, furious.

"And we will help," Atem said. "But right now we have other things to tend to. Diana," he called over his shoulder. "Keep Carter from escaping. Arrow, take Bakura to the Watchtower."

"I won't feel...dizzy or anything?" the vigilante asked warily.

" _You_ won't feel dizzy?" Bakura snarked pressing a hand to the wound in his lower back. "Who's the bleeding one here?"

"You will, yes," Atem admitted. "But Bakura needs medical attention and the more humans up there, the easier it will be on all of you."

"Have the Justice League help the people outside get up there as well," Set added. "The greater number of humans will definitely encourage the Shadows to more readily move up there. That will ease the strain."

Arrow bit his tongue, refusing to argue. They already lost one guilty party. The last thing they needed was to lose both. He sighed heavily in resignation. "Fine. Come on Bakura," he said, taking the Thief's arm on his uninjured side. "Let's go get the others."

"You want me to stay," Diana said. "Why?"

"Because you have kept a calm head throughout this," Atem said. "That is what we need right now. Mokuba, Set," he said, turning to the only other Shadow users remaining in the tomb, "I will need your assistance as well."

"I cannot hold this for more than a few minutes or this body will begin to burn," Set said seriously, earning a sharp glance from the Amazon which he studiously ignored.

Atem nodded and turned to Carter who seemed to have prostrated himself on the stone floor. "I have a feeling we will not be met with must resistance," he said. His violet eyes softened in sadness. "If only it had not come to this," he murmured regretfully. "Set, it is you he has wronged. I leave his judgement up to you."

Set hesitated. "Carter Hall," he said in a voice that was heavy with power but tempered by age and wisdom. "You who once went by the name Katar Hol."

"Yes, yes great one," Carter murmured.

"You were possessed by the Shadows of the Traitor which controlled you and used you as a puppet. We freed you and allowed you to go free." He brows lowered in disappointment. "But now you have turned on us, turned on me."

"I would never-!"

"You unearthed my tomb and aided, whether knowingly or not, in the extraction of my soul," Set continued, overtaking the mortal's words. "The Penalty for that crime is death."

"My lord Set!"

"But I now see you were not the true culprit behind what has happened," Set said reluctantly. "Your mind is broken. Perhaps it has been broken since we removed the Shadows' influence from you," he added softly. "For that, we take some of the blame. However, you are still charged with tomb robbery and delusional or not that is also a crime punishable by death."

"We don't kill," Diana said coldly, remembering the events from a year ago. The image of Akhenadin screaming as the three Egyptian gods Osiris, Ra, and Obelisk tortured and killed him. It had been horrific but quick. However, she still had no desire to witness such a thing again.

"And I remind you, Diana," Atem said softly, his eyes sad, "we do."

"Game Start," Set said clearly, summoning the Millennium Scales into existence before him. A single ostrich feather rested on the pan on the left while the right pan was empty. "Carter Hall, formerly called Katar Hol, you are charged with tomb robbery and knowingly aiding in the theft of my soul. These two charges will be judged separately. How do you plead for the first charge?"

Carter climbed to his knees. "I am an archaeologist," he said. "I study ancient cultures and artifacts to learn. How is this wrong?"

"You plead innocent then."

"I stole nothing," Carter confirmed.

"You have been heard," Set said. "How do you plead to the second charge?"

"I had no knowledge of that," Carter said swiftly. "I swear."

Set nodded. "You have been heard. I will now ask you three questions per charge. Your punishment will be decided based on the Scales weighed by the feather of Ma'at. If, by the end of the questioning, the pan with the feather is on the bottom, you will be found innocent of that charge. If the empty pan is on the bottom, you will be found guilty and suffer a Penalty Game. Am I understood?"

"Yes, my lord Set," Carter said solemnly, bowing his head.

Set grimaced but said nothing. "For the first charge of tomb robbery, I begin my questions. Did you unearth this tomb with the intent of entering and taking what was inside?"

"Not taking, no," Carter replied. "I wanted to send them to a professional who could study them."

The empty pan clicked downward and Carter blinked in surprise.

"My second question: did you ask permission before entering this tomb?"

"Ask permission?" Carter asked in confusion. "From whom?"

"Yes or no."

"Why would I ask permission to enter a place that has long been abandoned?" Carter asked, bewildered by the question.

The empty clicked again and Carter's mouth dropped open.

"What?" he breathed. "But it's a tomb! The only person I could've asked for permission was you but you were...well, you were dead."

"My third question: did you remove anything from this tomb?"

"Of course we did," Carter said. "Several artifacts were uncovered and are being prepped for shipping to museums as we speak."

The pan clicked a third time and Set sighed. "You have been found guilty of the charge of tomb robbery."

"What?!"

"Now for the second charge," Set continued, watching the Scales balance evenly once more. "That of knowingly aiding in the theft of my soul."

"I am not guilty of anything!" Carter exclaimed.

"Careful, Set," Atem warned, noticing beads of sweat beginning to form on Set's forehead. "Hurry if you can."

"Did you know your actions would result in the theft of my soul?" Set asked, focusing his concentration on finishing the Judgement Game.

"Don't be ridiculous!" Carter said. "A soul can't be stolen by opening a tomb."

"Yes or no."

"It's not a yes or no question," Carter countered. "Something like that just doesn't happen."

The empty pan clicked downwards.

"This isn't fair! I did everything for you Set!" Carter exclaimed. "It was all for you. Can't you see? The academic community will finally acknowledge your existence. You won't be hated or mistreated, relegated to the position of the enemy. They will respect you."

Set pressed his lips together and remained silent.

"You won't be the enemy," Carter said gently. "You'll be honored, respected. They'll know you were a pharaoh of great power and wisdom. They will study you, worship you."

"I have no desire to be worshipped," Set said softly.

"Nii-sama," Mokuba murmured.

That word whispered so tenderly jolted Set back to the situation at hand. "Did you want my soul?" he asked.

"What would I have done with it?" Carter asked honestly. "I would've liked to see it though," he added thoughtfully.

The empty pan clicked once more.

"Why are you doing this?" Carter pleaded. "I live for you. Everything I've done has been for you."

Set's brow furrowed deeper.

"You should be treated with respect," Carter insisted. "The Set I knew was honorable and sad. He knew what it meant to lose a loved one. He understood the pain and despair that came with such a loss."

Set's chin lowered though his eyes remained steadily gazing at Carter, listening closely to his words.

"You aren't evil," Carter said. "I know that. You know that. So they should know it too. You should not have to be a martyr. You should be proud to call yourself Set. You should not have to hide your name and existence for fear of retribution from those ignorant snots who think they know everything about you. We have a word for that in this day and age. It's called bullying."

Set's eyes dropped.

"Set," Atem whispered, reaching out to touch his cousin but Set flinched away. That hurt more deeply than he thought it would. How could he have not seen how deeply the modern world's perspective of Set had been hurting him?

"My last question," Set said, his voice soft as if its power had dissolved. "If you were given the choice," he began, trailing away as he tried to think of a question. "If you were given the choice," he said again, lifting his head meet Carter's gaze, "to take my soul or leave it as it was, would you take it?"

"Set," Atem gasped. "That is not a question to be asked."

"Nii-sama," Mokuba breathed, taking Set's hand. If he had to, he would separate Set's soul before he had to the chance to loose him again.

"This is getting out of hand," Diana muttered, frustrated at the Shadows that refused to allow her to intervene.

Carter, however, just smiled and got carefully to his feet. "If it meant saving you? Then yes," he said. "In a heartbeat."

Set swallowed listening to the Scales clink, not wanting to see the result. He took a deep breath and forced his gaze to the Scales and was relieved to see the empty pan was a single notch above the one with the feather of Ma'at. That meant Carter did not know about the plan to steal his soul. But it also meant there was a chance he had at least suspected.

Either way, because the empty pan was above the one holding Ma'at's feather, Carter could not be penalized for that crime. However, the crime of tomb robbery had to be punished. Somewhere deep in his mind, Set could feel a desire to throttle this man to death for what he had inadvertently put him through and knew those thoughts came from his soul. But he also felt regret and no small desire to experience what Carter dreamed of.

To be a hero instead of the villain. The be a friend instead of an enemy. To be respected and honored instead of hated and reviled. He hated how the mythologies had changed him, twisted him into a facsimile of evil. In most myths, he was either another part of or the same as Apep, the snake of the Orichalcos that destroyed Atlantis which he banished millennia ago. It was hard to find any myth where Set was good.

Even the Egyptians who lived during the dynastic age of ancient Egypt had quickly reviled him. Some had even defaced his monuments, struck his name from records, and hunted down his beloved sha almost to extinction all because they hated and feared him. _Him_. What had he ever done to make them hate him so? Where had he gone wrong?

Atem.

Ki-sa-ra.

He was not evil.

So why was he?

Atem left him. Now even Ki-sa-ra was gone. He could no longer feel her presence in his Deck. She too had abandoned him. He was alone.

"You have been found guilty of the crime of tomb robbery," Set intoned vacantly. "But for the crime of the theft of my soul you are found innocent. I take some of the blame for the tomb robbery. It is likely the forced removal of the Shadows that once possessed you may have damaged your mind and soul. For that, I apologize." He bowed. "Instead of death," he said, "I offer you-"

"It's alright."

Startled, Set lifted his head. Carter was smiling at him gently. Gently. At _him_.

"I'll take the death penalty," Carter said. "But I want you to know, I'm not mad at you. You are doing what you believe to be right. I've committed a crime and I must suffer the consequences. But understand this, Set, I don't hate you. Nor do I fear you. I remember you."

"Then," Set said, "your life is mine."

He extended his hand as if the grab something and a small, pinprick of white light blossomed from Carter's chest and darted into Set's hand. Diana wondered what the light was; then Carter's body collapsed, his skin pasty pale and his lips blue, and she knew. That small light was Carter's soul.

It fluttered in Set's hand as he pulled it towards him, pressing his lips to his cupped fingers. He whispered something she could not make out and the light vanished.

"Set," Atem breathed. "Cousin-"

"Separate me, Keeper," Set said sternly.

Mokuba stiffened. "Wha- oh. Okay."

"Set, wait," Atem insisted, taking Set's hand in his. "What just happened? That was not a question that should ever be asked. We need to talk about this."

"No," Set said. "We don't."

Mokuba hesitated, caught between agreeing with Atem and wanting his brother back. Then he noticed the water lining Set's downturned eyes. He knew his big brother well enough to know what Set wanted. So he reached out with his Shadows, latched onto Set's soul, and pulled. He tried to keep it from hurting but he still heard Set whimper. Then his ears were full of gasping and he knew his brother was back.

"Nii-sama!" he cried, hugging Seto's legs cutting off any debates that might have started and giving his big brother a chance to pull himself together.

Atem felt depression weigh on his soul. He knew about the mythologies but did not think much of them. Apparently, Set did and they bothered him. He sighed and reluctantly allowed his soul to split.

When Yugi opened his eyes, he was blinking away tears. He remembered everything. Judging from the melancholy he felt emanating from Yami's soul room, so did the Pharaoh. They had no idea Set, and thus Kaiba and Seth, were so bothered by the mythologies. Although, he thought glancing back at Wonder Woman, he probably should have known. When the Justice League had learned that Kaiba was Set reborn they had been anything but welcoming. In fact, they had been downright distrustful and vindictive.

He should not be surprised by this. But he was and he felt like he had betrayed a friend. It was a horrible feeling.


	38. Wary Alliances

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Kaiba is exhausted, the word is out, and a dangerous deal is struck.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** I'm so sorry for the delay. I've been super stressed this past week and was only now free enough to finish this chapter and post it. I'm too tired to edit it right now but I will tomorrow morning. Again, so sorry for the delay. I promise, it wasn't intentional.

Kaiba was strangely silent when they arrived at the Watchtower. He could not afford to open his mouth or release the tightness in his throat. He knew if he did, his voice would betray him. Set had done what he could to give Carter some peace but the result still bothered Kaiba. Set had been fully prepared to offer Carter a lighter sentence but the man had chosen death.

Why?

"Regent."

Kaiba did not move but his gaze sharpened as he fought through his muddled thoughts back to reality. He was standing in the medical wing of the Watchtower leaning against the wall. Ishizu, Shaadi, and Bakura lay on the beds in front of him hooked up to IVs and medical equipment. The steady beeping from the machines was soothing to his senses.

Thankfully, Yugi had had enough strength left after merging and splitting his soul to summon Mystical Elf and heal Bakura's and Ishizu's wounds so they were no longer vital. But he was exhausted and Shaadi had insisted a good night's sleep was all he truly needed. Only then did Yugi all but collapse. Arrow had to pick the young King up, place him on a bed, and ordered him to rest before he finally slept.

Meanwhile, Jounouchi and Honda stayed faithfully by Yugi's bedside playing a friendly game of Duel Monsters. Mai sat by Shaadi reading a book Shayera had lent her while Mokuba lay on her lap sound asleep. Marik never left Ishizu's or Bakura's sides. He currently sat in a foldout chair between his sister's and lover's beds dozing.

Kaiba had fought Arrow's 'suggestion' to rest. There was no way he would leave his Court in unfamiliar territory surrounded by potential enemies unguarded. He knew he needed the rest but he also needed to stay awake. It was too soon after loosing his soul again to sleep. He would have fallen into a deep sleep so his soul could rest and it was neither the time nor the place for that. It would leave him too vulnerable. 

The Justice League were not happy with the situation but had not argued much once Wonder Woman arrived and defended him. She was a warrior and recognized the need and desire to protect and watch over compatriots. Kaiba would have to thank her for her interference later. For now, he needed to stay awake and focused.

He heaved a sigh and straightened his back as he looked around. Several of the other beds nearby were filled with some members of the archeological team with minor cuts and bruises. Only a handful had more several wounds, mostly from stray bullets. They were lucky. It was a miracle the Shadow Court had resisted causing absolute mayhem even though Kaiba was fully aware of their desire to do so. By holding back, hopefully they could at least somewhat hide who and what they were for a bit longer at least.

"I'm afraid that may not be possible," J'onn said.

Kaiba's blue eyes narrowed and slid to the Manhunter's. The alien stood alone in the doorway watching him. Marik stirred in his seat forcing Kaiba to roll his shoulders and walk out of the room so as to keep his conversation somewhat unheard. He could feel Mai's eyes on him from behind her book but ignored her. He did cast one quick glance at his baby brother though. Jounouchi and Honda glanced at him in passing but otherwise remained focused on their game.

 _:Seto,:_ Seth whispered softly adding his awareness to Kaiba's to follow the conversation better.

J'onn tilted his head thoughtfully for a moment before gesturing for them to move the hallway just out of earshot of the medical room. "As I said, I do not think secrecy is possible anymore," he said slowly.

"Why?" Kaiba asked, keeping his voice low.

"Because we caused quite, I believe you humans call it 'a stir,'" he said. "The media is calling it an attack though they have not openly laid the blame on anyone specifically yet. For now, it seems they are ready to believe the Justice League was fighting an enemy attacking civilians at an archaeological dig."

Kaiba sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. This was a nightmare.

"I concur," J'onn said.

Kaiba decided against arguing over the telepathic interloping. He still did not trust his voice completely.

"I apologize," J'onn said. "But it seems better if we speak this way." _:Diana told me what happened,:_ he said mentally. _:I'm sorry for the pain you have suffered.:_

Kaiba barely contained his wince. "Don't," he said simply. Seth brushed his mind, offering soothing comfort as best he could.

 _:I understand,:_ J'onn said. His yellow eyes softened with compassion. _:The League and I have discussed this issue and have decided to leave the decision of whether or not to reveal your Court's existence up to you.:_

Great, more responsibility.

"Not you alone," J'onn correctly. "I meant the entire Court. We will do our best to support you with what we have. We understand you are the victims in this but the matter of the prisoners still being held here must be dealt with."

Kaiba nodded. He would have to speak to the Court about this when they woke up. He ran a hand through his hair humming absently. He still had to get Helios back, deal with Ares, and retrieve his stolen Blue Eyes from the Bastard.

Kisara.

Pain and loss tugged at his heart as he felt the distinct emptiness Kisara used to fill in both his Deck and his heart. At least he still had two Blue Eyes left which could come in handy with getting Kisara back. But he was sleep deprived and short on time.

"I never realized..."

Kaiba lifted his eyes to the Manhunter curiously.

"I knew she was once your lover but I did not stop to consider the bond you have with her," J'onn murmured in surprise. He nodded slowly, pausing in the middle of the motion. "Two Blue Eyes?"

Kaiba blinked and nodded.

"Show me."

The Regent pulled out his Deck and drew his two Blue Eyes White Dragon cards as well as the currently blank card from the top of his Deck and held them out for J'onn to see but not touch. He watched the alien's eyes widen in surprise.

"Fascinating," the Manhunter said. "I was told only one Blue Eyes White Dragon remained in your Deck."

"One?" Kaiba asked.

J'onn nodded. "Yes," he confirmed. "Arrow informed Flash who told us. Your Adviser went through your Deck and only found one Blue Eyes card. The other two were blank."

Kaiba turned the cards back in his hand and studied them curiously. That made sense.

"How so?" the Manhunter asked.

Blue eyes darted up to the shapeshifter's yellow cautiously. When they detected only honest curiosity, Kaiba  relaxed somewhat lowering his eyes back to his cards. He cleared his throat wishing he had coffee.

"I..." He hesitated before starting again. "When we fought Necrophades, we had gone back in time. Or, more accurately, those last few days had been reconstructed with us thrown into the mess. I summoned my ultimate Monster, the Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon which is the fusion of my three Blue Eyes White Dragons."

He stared at his cards trying to organize his thoughts into words. There was so much to do and so little time to do it.

"But the Blue Eyes was originally only Kisara," Kaiba continued. "I had three Blue Eyes which meant there had to be two more sources for those dragons to draw from. I said it then and though I meant it differently at the time, I find it rings truer than I originally thought. It was the ultimate evolution transcending 5,000 years of time."

He lifted his eyes to J'onn and felt Arrow standing in the Shadows down the hall listening. When he spoke again, he threw his voice so Arrow would hear as well. The vigilante was his kohai and deserved to know this at least.

"When I summoned my Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon, I created it by drawing on Kisara's soul, my own soul, and Seth's soul which had been animating Set's body in that twisted world," he said. "By fusing both my soul and Seth's with a Blue Eyes card, I was able to successfully summon them and fuse them together as the Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon."

"So when two Blue Eyes White Dragon cards were blank..." J'onn began.

"It meant both mine and Kisara's souls were missing. Kisara's ripped from the card and mine ripped from my body," Kaiba finished firmly.

"Do each of the Courtiers have a Monster representing their soul in this way?" J'onn asked curiously.

"Not necessarily," Kaiba replied. "This soul bonding is caused by the user fusing with that Monster at some point in time. If that Monster was not already a fused Ka and Ba of another person then the bond will stick most of the time. Although stealing the Monster may not directly affect the user it is jarring to the soul bond."

"Do the Pharaoh and the King have a bonded Monster?"

Kaiba nodded, studiously refusing to think of that particular Monster.

"And Red Eyes-" J'onn still when the Regent shook his head.

"No," Kaiba said. "That Monster is not the Knight's representation."

"I see." J'onn cast his gaze down the hall to where Arrow stood watching for a moment before returning his gaze to the Regent. "You should rest," he said simply.

"I can't," Kaiba said feeling the weight return to his shoulders. "Not yet."

J'onn nodded slowly. "Then may I suggest you take Arrow back to Earth and speak with your allies," he said.

"My allies?" Kaiba asked mildly with a raised eyebrow.

"The man currently at your home whom Arrow recognized from earlier today, or," he corrected himself with a soft blush of embarrassment, "yesterday."

"What man?" Kaiba demanded, turning his now sharp gaze onto his kohai.

"The Unseelie who visited you in KaibaCorp Tower," Arrow said, speaking up at last.

"He's at my house?" Kaiba asked in mild exasperation.

Arrow nodded with a shrug. "If it means anything, he brought friends this time," he added. "And he did say he liked you."

Kaiba breathed out slowly through his nose, resisting the urge to growl. Damn his luck. He was already tired from the drain on his soul and the few Shadows here in space. Although there were more now due to the increased number of humans here it still made him feel more brittle than usual.

"Fine," he said. "As soon as you can, get my people back to Ishizu's house. Her clan can keep them hidden until they recover. I'll deal with this idiot." He hesitated.

"I'm coming with you," Arrow said firmly. His gaze was hard and determined. "Don't even think about it," he quickly, cutting off Kaiba's denial. "I was there when this craziness started so don't even try to delude yourself into think I'm not in it for the long haul. That Bastard fucked with _my_ friends in _my_ city." He smirked. "You don't really think I'm going to let him get away with that. Besides," he added with a shrug, "I like Helios. He's interesting."

Kaiba very deliberately did not roll his eyes. "Fine," he huffed. "When Ishizu recovers enough to be safely moved, get my Court off this station and back to Earth."

"I'll try to," J'onn said. "But we can better protect you from Earth's media and law here than on the planet itself."

Kaiba grimaced. "I see what you mean." He turned back to where Mokuba still slept on Mai's lap in the medical room and made up his mind. "Tell your League we'll discuss everything once Arrow and I get back. For now, I have a faerie to deal with."

"Unseelie," Arrow corrected, earning him a burning gaze from his Regent which he ignored.

"Whatever."

"What is an 'unseelie'?" J'onn asked curiously.

"I'll tell you later," Arrow said. "Come on. Let's get this over with."

"We'll talk later about you watching my home without my knowledge," Kaiba added.

Kaiba turned back to the medical room and met his Sorceress's eyes. She nodded subtly, placing on hand on Mokuba head in acknowledgement of her new duty as watcher. With one last reluctant glance at his baby brother, Kaiba followed the two Justice League members to the control room where the teleporter was.

* * *

 

Arrow appeared in the middle of Kaiba's front lawn with the Kaiba house behind him and the group of potential allies in front of him. The same Unseelie who visited them earlier in the day stood at the front of the group. His red eyes were hard and dangerous as was the giant wolf-like dog next to him. It's fur was midnight black like the Holly King's coat but its eyes gleamed a hungry amber.

The people behind him were unknown to the vigilante. One stood in an elegant kimono that was midnight black over another of pure white. His hair was a pale lavender that just brushed his shoulders. His moon pale face was framed on either side by long strands of silver white. His eyes were also a soft amber, but these were much softer and more ancient than many Arrow had ever seen. More ancient even than the Unseelie's, perhaps even older then Set's.

"Ah, finally we are welcomed by a presence," the Unseelie King said. "You must be the vigilante of Starling City."

"Holly King," Arrow said curtly. "Who's your friend?"

"A representative of the Japanese pantheon," the Holly King said. "The Tsukuyomi no Mikoto."

"Tsukuyomi," Arrow said, nodding to the god.

"We're here to see Set," the Unseelie fae said. "Will you let us in this fine home?"

"It's not his house to give permission," Kaiba said, materializing from the Shadows behind the faerie.

"So it isn't," the Fae agreed with a smirk. "Well then, will you allow us-"

"Drop dead Arawn."

Arawn lifted an eyebrow in amusement and turned around to issue an equally snark reply when he saw Kaiba. Instantly his smile faded to an expression that could easily be construed as concern. Next to him, the Tsukuyomi simply tilted his head to the side, never moving his eyes from Arrow.

"By the Tree..." Arawn gasped.

When he moved to approach the Regent Arrow knocked an arrow and drew his bow, aiming the bolt at Arawn's back. But the vigilante was nowhere near as swift nor as efficient as the Tsukuyomi. The Japanese deity grabbed Arawn's wrist firmly enough to halt his movement and something in his gaze froze Arrow's muscles.

"He is recovering from an assault of an exceedingly personal nature," the Tsukuyomi said. His voice was soft, gentle, almost like a night breeze. But there was an edge to it like the uncertainty of the dark. It was a threat and Arawn respected it.

"I am surprised you are on your feet," the Tsukuyomi said to Kaiba, still not turning around. "You left my sight before I could act."

"It has nothing to do with you," Kaiba said coldly.

"I cannot step into the sunlight by order of my sister," the Tsukuyomi said. "I can, at times, defy her edict, but not as often  or as long as I would prefer." Finally, the Japanese moon god released Arrow from his paralyzing gaze and turned around. "And yes, it did have something to do with me. That was an attack on you personally, not your pantheon; thus it was open to my interference." His eyes lowered. "Unfortunately, my gaze was elsewhere at the time and I did not hear of the attack until an ally informed me of it. She herself could not act due to her physical state."

"And this woman would be?" Kaiba demanded.

Tsukuyomi tilted his head and lifted his eyes. "I believe you know her as Selene."

Kaiba's blue eyes darted to Arawn suspiciously. The Unseelie eased his stance but his eyes remained dark and concerned.

"I thought Selene was with the faerie," Arrow said.

Arawn blinked and glanced back at the vigilante in wry amusement. He snorted something that sounded distinctly like he was holding back laughter.

"She was," Tsukuyomi replied. "Until she came to me. It was she who informed me and mine of Ares' attack on you in Starling City and of the assault from which you are still recovering." His amber gleamed. "When was the last time you slept?"

"I don't have time for this," Kaiba snapped. "What do you want?"

"I gave you my name as a sign of good will," Arawn said. "It may not have been my true name but had you called me I would've come." His crimson eyes glinted. "Why didn't you?"

"Are you telling me you had me followed?" Kaiba demanded, stalking up to the Unseelie without fear.

"Not directly," the Tsukuyomi said drawing Kaiba's ire. "Selene was already set to watch over you during the night in my place."

"What were you doing that was so important it required an exchange of duties between gods of two different pantheons?" Arrow demanded. "Two pantheons that aren't on the best of terms at the moment, I might add."

"I was searching for her brother," the Tsukuyomi answered serenely. "If she looked, the Olympians would sense her power and seek her out."

"But they wouldn't sense you," Arrow guessed.

"They would, but they would most likely not know to whom my power belonged to or where it came from."

"Then why are you here and she isn't?" Kaiba said.

The Tsukuyomi's eyes glowed and the faintest smile graced his lips. "Because I found him. I found Helios."

Kaiba stiffened. His eyes flickered to Arrow over the Tsukuyomi's shoulder seeing the same expression of shock on the vigilante's face.

"We thought you'd want to know," Arawn said, his characteristic smirk worming its way back onto his face. He rested a hand on the large dog's head, running his fingers through the dark fur between its ears earning him a soft snort of approval.

"And to give you this," he added, tossing something small and gold to the young CEO.

Kaiba deftly caught the object, pulling it down so it was eye level. One of his eyebrows sketched a perfect arch when he realized the object was an apple, a golden apple.

"Straight from the orchards of Avalon," Arawn said. "You think the Norse and Greeks are the only ones with apples like that? Avalon is the Isle of Apples for a reason." He crossed his arms proudly. "It will temporarily restore you to full strength both physically and magically. For all intents and purposes, you will be completely healthy and whole. But only," he insisted, holding up a finger, "temporarily."

"How long does the affect last?" Kaiba asked, examining the apple with interest.

"That size? A few hours maximum," Arawn answered seriously. "It's not a gift I give lightly. It comes from both myself and my counterpart, the Oak King of the Seelie Court. We're willing to go with you to retrieve Helios."

Kaiba's eyes lifted to Arawn's. "What's the catch?" he demanded.

Arawn grinned. "Now we're talking," he purred.

"You are Kaiba Seto, a Japanese citizen and therefore deserving of my protection," the Tsukuyomi said. "My sister cannot come unless the sun is directly threatened but my brother the Susanoo no Mikoto is willing to offer his assistance. Selene has offered to help as well."

"She's pregnant," Kaiba countered.

"Be that as it may, she has offered," the Tsukuyomi replied. "Helios is her brother and the last, sane living member of her race."

Kaiba nodded slowly.

"Naturally, you have my cooperation as well as the Seelie Court's," Arawn added with a sly grin. "We have no love for Zeus and I personally would enjoy a good dose of chaos."

"At least some of the Justice League including myself are willing to help to as well," Arrow said suddenly. "J'onn in particular," he added, meeting Kaiba's gaze.

The Regent heaved a sigh. "I'll bring the Pharaoh and the King with me as well as anyone else who can come," he said after a moment. "You said you found Helios." The Tsukuyomi nodded. "Where is he?"

"Tartarus."

"The hell?" Arrow gasped.

"I can freely move there so long as I avoid Helios's direct light. However, though I can walk there, I cannot actively interfere," the Tsukuyomi said. "But you have no such limitations. The Shadows are yours to command at will."

"Or we could just raid Olympus in a full frontal assault," Arawn suggested with a wink. "Guaranteed that asshole Zeus will never even suspect something so brazen. Besides, we may not even have to break Helios out at all. It could be done for us by Zeus himself."

"How?" Arrow demanded, finally coming to stand by his Regent. "Diana has told us stories of Tartarus. That's where the other Titans were banished. They never got out."

"Because Zeus never let them," Arawn said nodding. "But you," he said to Kaiba, "have a legitimate complaint against his pantheon as do we, Selene, and the Japanese pantheon. You and the Tsukuyomi here want Ares to pay for what he did to you. But you and Selene also want Helios returned. Helios was taken from under your protection which entangles you deeper and Selene is currently a ward of the Courts so that involves us. Three pantheons and a furious Titaness against a single pantheon still basking in their former glory. Hardly a fair fight."

"You want to conduct a trade," Kaiba concluded shrewdly.

Arawn grinned viciously. "If you demand Ares to come as your prisoner for his attack on you, Zeus could refuse and decide to fight you."

"However," the Tsukuyomi said, "if I backed you with my own demand for Ares's blood, he could be willing to deal."

"Ares for Helios," Kaiba said.

"Correct," Arawn said nodding sharply. "Naturally, Zeus won't be too happy about that." The Unseelie King fingered the pommel of his sword poking out from under his coat. "I'm sure we can," he paused to find the right word, " _convince_ him to see things our way. Of course, I wouldn't be opposed to some theatrics. A little chaos is fun."

Arrow turned to his Regent. Kaiba was clearly considering the offer. But perhaps one last push would not hurt.

"I may not be a god," he said drawing his Regent's attention as well as that of the others' present. "But I am the vigilante of Starling City, a member of the Justice League, and a member of the Shadow Court. In every case, Ares crossed the line. He attacked civilians, my friends, in my city without provocation. That was the offense against me as a vigilante. The fact you are my Regent and you were one of those harmed during that attack is an offense against me a member of the Shadow Court. The fact Ares's actions were essentially those of a terrorist is an offense against me as a member of the Justice League. Even Superman would back me up on that."

He straightened his stance and said firmly, "I can't speak for everyone in the League, but I do speak for myself when I say I want retribution against Ares as well. If you make the trade of Helios for Ares, then I'll arrest Ares under the authority of the Justice League for crimes against humans." He shrugged haphazardly. "If I happen to defer to your judgement in the prisoner's punishment, then who could blame me?"

 _:Did you really think I would let Ares get away with what he has done to us?:_ Seth whispered in Kaiba's mind. _:Your kohai is correct. You may trade Ares for Helios, but that still leaves him and me with a chance to exact revenge. And I must admit, I'm not feeling particularly merciful at the moment.:_

A slow, devious smile stretched across Kaiba's tired face giving some life once more. "You have a deal."


	39. Finalizing Plans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the Shadow Court and Justice League finalize their plans for the assault on Olympus, Mai finds someone else who enjoys the flirtation game, and Arawn shows a bit of trust.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** Sorry for the delay. Long story short, I finally finished my summer class with an A, my two jobs got intense, then I accidentally deleted this chapter as well as chapters for 2 other stories. I was so depressed, I literally refused to think about the other two and spent my time rewriting this chapter. Hope it's good.

"Like hell you're leaving me behind," Marik hissed.

"As I said quite clearly if you actually bothered to listen every once in a while, anyone who is capable and wants to come can," Kaiba said.

"I was paying attention," Marik snapped. "And because I was paying attention, I noticed the way you deliberately snubbed my presence."

"Not unusual," Kaiba replied with a thoughtless shrug which only served to rile Marik's ire all the more.

"Boys!" Mai snapped. "Behave or I will spank both of you."

Kaiba glared at his Sorceress but she merely crossed her arms over her ample breasts and met him with a glare of her own accompanied by a sassy sway of her hips. Jounouchi snorted into his hand and was instantly the butt of Kaiba's infamous glare.

"Control your puppy, Sorceress," Kaiba ordered. "It's yapping again."

"Oi!" The Knight exclaimed in a burst of fury. "I am not a dog!"

"And this Unseelie," Yugi said, cutting off the rant before it could gain enough traction to be self-sustaining. "What's his name?"

Kaiba glanced at the Justice League standing nearby significantly and did not answer. Yugi nodded in understanding. "You said the Tsukuyomi was there as well?" he asked instead. "What's he like?"

"Quiet," Kaiba said after a moment. "But powerful."

"I couldn't move as long as he looked at me," Arrow admitted. "And he held the Unseelie King back with just a grab of his wrist."

"He said we should have the support of the Susanoo no Mikoto but Amaterasu Omikami coming herself is iffy at best,” Kaiba admitted. "We can at least guarantee the Oak King and Holly King will be there with the Tsukuyomi and Susanoo."

"That's quite the firepower," an unexpected voice said with interest. The group turned to see Bakura standing tall in the doorway, his eyes narrowed in barely contained fury. He grinned and looped an arm around Ryou’s shoulders.

"Bakura? Ryou?" Marik gasped, hurrying over to the Tomb Robber who glanced at him but made no other move of acknowledgement. He simply stared directly at the Pharaoh with eyes that craved revenge.

"I'd like to meet this Unseelie,” Bakura said. “We may just get along."

"Like a house on fire, I'm sure," Ryou sighed.

"So," Honda said suddenly. "Final count. Who's going?" He raised his hand as did everyone else in the Court. "Good. Now that that's decided, I'll give Anzu a call and get her over here too."

"We're in space, genius," Marik said. "You can't get signal up here."

"Oh right," Honda said, blinking in surprise. "I forgot."

"The throbbing headache and the planet Earth hanging in space out the window over there weren’t clear enough reminders?" the Priest jabbed in mild annoyance.

"I'm sure Superman wouldn't mind bringing her," Arrow said, turning to the metahuman in question. “It’s his city after all.”

"I would rather not, actually," Superman replied.

"Oh, no, you misunderstood," Arrow said. "I wasn't suggesting. If you won't go get her, I'll have Flash beam me down there."

"I could contact her in Court," Yugi offered. “Give her a heads up.”

"No," Ishizu said suddenly from her place on the nearby couch. Her injured leg was bandaged and propped up on the cushions next to a dozing Mokuba. "You must conserve your strength in case we end up fighting."

"The Priestess speaks truly," Shaadi said, placing a gentle hand on Ishizu’s shoulder. "We must all save our strength. With help or without, this may not be as easy as we hope. How do you intend to deal with them?"

"We'll be doing this face-to-face," Kaiba said curtly.

"What?!" Yugi gasped, voicing everyone's surprise.

"You can't be serious Kaiba," Yami said. "We know very little about them. We're not equipped for something like that."

"It's already been decided," the Regent said firmly, crossing his arms over his chest. "We'll go in as if we're about to hold a Formal Court session. Tsukuyomi, Susanoo, the Fae, and Selene will be with us."

"What about us?" Green Lantern demanded.

"You're the backup plan," Kaiba said.

Both the Pharaoh's and King's eyes grew large in realization before narrowing, analyzing the situation. "I see," Yami said slowly. "They will be getting Helios out of Tartarus in case the original plan fails."

"And what is this original plan?" Shayera asked.

"We all want Ares to pay," Arrow said, speaking up. "Our demands have weight, particularly Kaiba's and the Tsukuyomi's. The added pressure of the Holly King, the Oak King, and both of their Courts should sway Zeus to at least consider surrendering Ares."

"But if you decide to trade instead," Yugi said, warming up to the idea, "then he'll more readily give up Helios instead of Ares."

"Which leaves Ares to me and the League," Arrow said smugly. "He'll pay for hurting my people."

"Seth may have a say in that as well," Kaiba said with a smirk, "but that is the general plan."

"And you want us there to enforce Arrow's demand," Diana said , stepping forwards. "I'll be going with you. I have Artemis's favor and protection. She will listen to me at least." Her sky blue eyes hardened. "And I don't like the idea of Helios in Tartarus."

"Neither do I which is why I'm going too," Hawkgirl said holding her feathered mask thoughtfully. "My mace may be of use to block any magic based attacks."

"Count me in," Green Lantern said. "I got thrown into this and I don't like leaving messes behind."

"I will go as well," J'onn said glancing at Arrow. "I did not know Helios well but I consider him a companion nonetheless."

"Yes," Kaiba said nodding. "Artemis will at least hear you out, Amazon. However, I want the pet bird, Lantern, and J'onn to go into Tartarus and make sure Helios gets out of there. Even I know Zeus has a habit of going back on his word or only meeting the bare minimum required to keep it." His eyes narrowed. "Helios is strong, but I doubt he's doing well in a place designed solely to imprison his race."

"Agreed," Wonder Woman said.

"Alright," Jounouchi said, turning to the unusually quiet Superman. "Any input from the peanut gallery?"

“Batman can’t come,” Superman said slowly. “The Joker’s made a comeback in Gotham keeping him busy. But I’ll-”

“Don’t even bother finishing that sentence,” Kaiba said coldly, glaring at the Kryptonian. “You won’t be coming.”

Superman shook his head. “I understand your dislike for me but-”

“No you don’t,” Yami said abruptly. “Kaiba’s correct. It would be best if you didn’t come.”

“Not because we don’t like you,” Yugi said quickly. “But because you’re too Light.”

The Pharaoh nodded. “As a Dark, your presence bothers me,” he said. “I am able to control my Shadows better than my Triad, but having someone as Light as you could disrupt my concentration.” He nodded to Kaiba. “It’s bad enough your presence bothers the Balance.”

“You aren’t human,” Yugi said. “That’s a big part of it. But more importantly the Shadows hate you. If we tried to use the Shadows at the levels we intend to with you present, they could very easily use the opportunity to try to get rid of you.”

“Get rid of me?” Superman demanded.

“They reject you,” Shaadi said slowly, drawing the Kryptonian’s gaze. "Vehemently."

“Would it kill my gods?” the Amazoness asked suspiciously.

Both the Pharaoh and the King shook their heads. “I highly doubt it,” Yami answered. “It will definitely make them uncomfortable and likely diminish their power but that’s the point. If this little misadventure of ours does not last long then everything should be fine.”

“And if it does last long?” J’onn asked cautiously.

Yami narrowed his eyes. “We won’t let it,” he said firmly.

"I can't believe I'm saying this,” Green Lantern sighed, “but why not just play a Shadow Game and deal with it that way? There wouldn't be a need to worry about anyone breaking the rules of the Game."

"We could but there would be many limitations on both sides," Yugi said reluctantly.

"Then why not transport them entirely to the Shadow Realm?" Bakura suggested casually.

“Go to the Shadow Realm?” Lantern murmured in shock.

“We need the home field advantage,” Bakura insisted with a shrug.

"I am afraid that would not work," Shaadi said reluctantly. "Those of us who are not as powerful with the Shadows, those with no Shadows, and the non-humans with us would be unable to cope with the strain."

Bakura scoffed. "Fine. Then what if Ryou and I could cast Sanctuary in the Sky?" he offered instead. "That could easily become a controlled environment, limit the damage, and still give us an advantage."

"If you think you can hold the Field Spell that long, then you're welcome to do as you please," the Pharaoh said nodding.

"Sanctuary in the Sky?" Arrow asked curiously.

"A Field Spell similar to Kaiba's Mountain but this one was designed to resemble Olympus," Honda explained. "It benefits Fairy-Type Monsters and anyone who controls them. During a battle involving that Fairy-Type Monster, and damage to the player who controls that Monster is negated."

"Well," Mai said slyly. "This Holly King is an Unseelie and both Unseelie and Seelie are technically faeries so we could trick the Shadows into viewing both Courts as Fairy-Type Monsters. It worked when I saved Wonder Woman and Hawkgirl. They weren't Monsters but the Shadows still viewed Diana as an Amazoness and Shayera as a Harpie."

"It's worth a try," Jounouchi said.

"I agree," J'onn said.

"Alright. Looks like the entire Court'll be there plus a few friends," Jounouchi said with a grin at Arrow. "I'm not gonna say no t' that."

"But we'll have to plan it carefully," Shayera said, shifting her stance easily. "They are gods after all."

“Yes,” Yugi said.

“How do we get to Tartarus in the first place?” Lantern asked. “I certainly don’t know the way.”

“I can take you to the entrance,” Diana said. “Unfortunately, you’d be on your own from there.”

“You know,” Mai said slowly, “I think it would be better if you stayed with the League going to Tartarus and Lantern came with us.”

“I agree,” Ishizu said calmly surprising the Court.

The Regent narrowed his eyes. “Why?” he demanded.

Hardly intimidated, the Priestess hummed thoughtfully. “Wonder Woman is the only one who knows the way to Tartarus,” she said. “And I believe she would be of more use that way than with us.”

Kaiba stared at Ishizu carefully for a moment before nodding reluctantly. “Fine,” he said. “Amazon, make sure the League gets into Tartarus.” His eyes gleamed. “I want Helios back no matter what.”

Diana nodded. "So when do we start?"

Kaiba grinned. "As soon as the Emissary is contacted," he said. "In the meantime, I want my Court sent back to my house."

"That would be unwise," J'onn said, stepping away from the wall and approaching the group. "We cannot protect you as well there."

"Kaiba's right," Yugi said. "We need the Shadows to restore us as best they can and the only place to do that is on Earth."

"Besides," Mai said propping a fist on her hip, "we need to look presentable. If we plan on appearing as we do in Formal Court, then we will need at least an hour or so to get ready."

Marik glanced at the monarchy curiously. "Should we summon the Millennium Items?" he asked, a dark gleam in his eye.

“Ah, yes,” Bakura purred. “The million dollar question.”

"Not until the last possible moment," Yami said firmly. "Their power could attract unwanted attention. You both know that better than most,” he added.

"Then let's get this over with," Kaiba said gruffly.

"Yes," the Pharaoh said. "Send us back to the surface so we can take care of everything. When you get a hold of Anzu, send her to us. We'll contact you when we're ready and go to Olympus from there."

"Sounds like a plan,” Flash said.

* * *

"This is a crazy plan," Arrow said once they reappeared on solid ground.

“Life is crazy,” came a voice from a nearby tree. “But you have to admit, it’s also amusing.”

“Get down if you want to talk, faerie,” Kaiba said curtly, deliberately walking past the tree without looking up to the guest. Mokuba’s weight draped comfortably over his back as his little brother continued to sleep soundly.

“But that’s so predictable,” the person continued, the smug smile audible in his voice. “I would never live it down.”

“Who’s your friend?” Yugi asked curiously, staring up at the tree. Unfortunately, it was too dark to make out anything distinct. Then a shadow moved, falling from the canopy to land lightly on the grassy lawn by the trunk.

“He’s not my friend,” Kaiba said. “He’s a nuisance.”

“Aw, don’t be like that,” the white haired person said with a cheeky grin. He placed a pale hand over his chest and gave a mocking bow to the group. “So glad you finally made it,” he said, placing both hands on his hips, “You took too long getting here. I was so bored.”

“Tough,” Kaiba said.

The Holly King sighed dramatically. “Is there no sympathy in that chaotic heart of yours?” he asked in mock sadness. “And to think, I waited this whole time for you to come back here before going into your house.”

“You wouldn’t dare,” the Regent growled, glaring at the Unseelie.

The glare was met by an equally vicious grin from the faerie. “Oh believe me,” he purred, “I would dare.”

“Well aren’t you handsome,” Mai said suddenly.

Caught by the surprise, the Unseelie blinked and turned to the Sorceress. He studied her with interest before shrugging and adopting an easy smile. “I try,” he said. “Although it’s always nice to hear such words in the dulcet tones of a fair maiden such as yourself.”

“Well,” Mai said, placing a hand over her chest in pleasure. “Someone knows the art of flattery.”

“I’ve had years of study, fair lady,” the Unseelie said with a graceful bow. “All of which I place humbly at your feet.”

“In that case,” the Sorceress said, holding out her hand in a very lady-like manner, “I’m Mai, the Sorceress of the Shadow Court.”

“Arawn of Annwn,” the Unseelie King said, taking her hand placing a feather-light kiss on her knuckles. “Holly King and lord of the Unseelie Court, at your service fair lady.”

“Hey! Git yer hands off her,” Jounouchi exclaimed, leaping next to Mai and taking a swipe at the Holly King who nimbly dodged out of the way.

“Well, well,” Arawn said chuckling. “It appears the lady is taken.”

“On the contrary,” Mai said with a playful wink as she held up her ringless left hand. “This lady is still free as a bird.”

Arawn threw his head back and laughed heartily. “In that case, let us speak more.”

“You bet sweetie,” the Sorceress teased ignoring the despairing look cast at her by Jounouchi. If Jounouchi was jealous, let him be jealous. It was his fault for not proposing yet, slowpoke.

“Arawn of what?” Yugi asked.

Arawn turned to the short King curiously and grinned. “Annwn,” he answered. “It’s a long way from here and not important at the moment.” He turned back to Kaiba with sharp eyes and asked, “You plan on standing out here all night or are you eventually going indoors?”

“None of your business,” Kaiba said.

“On the contrary,” Arawn shot back. “We need to talk about something that is very much my business.”

Kaiba glared at Arawn, hating the way the Unseelie managed to completely ignore it. “Fine,” he huffed eventually. “The rest of you,” he said to the rest of his Court, “go inside and get ready.”

“I’d ask but I’m not sure I want to know,” Honda admitted, rubbing his neck as he walked past the Regent with Jounouchi.

“Don’t worry,” Yugi called back to Kaiba. “We’ll be ready.” Then he and the rest of the Court hurried into Kaiba’s house. Ishizu leaned heavily on Shaadi’s shoulders. Ryou grimaced as he leaned on Marik’s shoulder and followed behind.

“Do you want me to stay?” Arrow asked softly casting a significant glance at both Arawn and Mokuba.

Kaiba hesitated, reluctant to be separated from Mokuba, but nodded and let Arrow take Mokuba and carry him inside after the Courtiers. Arawn waited until Kaiba was alone before speaking.

“You haven’t eaten it yet,” he said seriously. “Once picked, golden apples rot quickly.”

Kaiba pulled the palm-sized apple from his pants pocket and studied it. “You said its affects only last a few hours at most,” he said. “I’m saving it until right before the confrontation.”

“Fool.”

“What did you say?” Kaiba hissed.

“You don’t intimidate me Set,” Arawn said. “I may not be privy to what happened here tonight and the Tsukuyomi is being traditionally tight-lipped about the whole thing, but I’m not blind. Something happened and you’re a mess. I wouldn’t let the lowliest of my Court out onto the battlefield if they were even remotely in the same state as you.”

The Regent’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “What are you implying?”

“I’m not implying anything,” Arawn replied. “I’m telling you you look horrible. Eat the apple. It takes about an hour before the full affects become obvious and you clearly need it to kick in sooner rather than later. They may not have told you,” Arawn said, nodding towards the direction the Shadow Court had gone, “but I will.” Crimson eyes gleamed coldly. “You look like death.”

Kaiba flinched.

“I won’t flatter myself,” Arawn continued. “I’m very well aware I don’t know much about your pantheon or you personally but I am a warrior and am intimately familiar with death. By the very nature of my position as Holly King I have experienced a type of death may times and shall continue to do so until I either Fade from existence or pass my throne on to another.”

“I thought you were immortal and invulnerable,” the Regent said warily.

“I am,” Arawn confirmed. “If I wasn’t, then I would not be standing here in front of you.”

“And yet you’ve experienced death.”

“Yes. I simply revive,” Arawn replied. “Eventually,” he added with a smirk. The smirk faded just as quickly as it appeared as if it had been part of a private joke whose punchline only Arawn knew.

Kaiba refused to rise to the bait. “Where’s the Tsukuyomi?” he asked instead.

“Keeping watch,” Arawn replied, lifting his eyes to the moon far above. Somewhere in the trees surrounding the Kaiba Mansion a howl rose up raising the hackles on the back of Kaiba’s neck and bringing a soft smile to the Unseelie’s lips.

“I’m serious,” Arawn said finally, lowering his eyes back to the Regent’s. “Eat the apple. It will rot if you don’t.”

Kaiba tsked and turned away. “Don’t tell me what to do,” he said, walking away from the faerie towards his house.

Arawn huffed a laugh. “After this, I’d like you to come to my Court. Specifically, I’d like you to come on September 23.”

“Why?”

Arawn smiled. “It’s the Autumnal Equinox,” he said. “It’s important to my people. And if your Court is interested, I’m inviting the lot of you over for Samhain.”

Kaiba glanced over his shoulder. “Everyone?”

Arawn nodded. “I believe most people celebrate it as Halloween,” he said. “It’s a celebration enjoyed by many and held sacred by my pantheon. But,” he said, holding up a single finger, “only you are allowed to come to the event on the Equinox. That is traditionally only viewed by those of my pantheon.” He shrugged. “Consider it a sign of trust between us.”

After a moment, the Regent turned away and continued walking. “I’ll consider it,” he called back.


	40. Shades of Blue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Kaiba cuddles Mokie, gets his Deck back, eats an apple, and gets a surprise he's not sure whether to laugh in relief or cry a flood over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** I'm terribly sorry for the delay. School is not too stressful yet but calculus is evil and I hit writer's block. Basically I'm tired all day every day and wake up at all hours of the night for no reason. It's beginning to drain me of energy and I'm not sure how to fix the problem.
> 
>  **Side note:** I highly suggest y'all look up the canon YGO card _Maiden with Eyes of Blue._ It's truly beautiful and definitely Kisara. Also, feels warning in this. The action should start next chapter.

"Nii-sama?" Mokuba murmured from his place on the bed when he heard the door creak open.

Jolted from his revere, Kaiba looked over to the bed to see Oliver nod to him, his vigilante hood thrown back revealing his masked face. Relieved Mokuba had not been left alone during his absence, Kaiba sighed and made his way over to the bed. He avoided looking at the gaping hole in the far wall left from the attack earlier that nigh that was now letting the cool autumn air into the house.

"Roland? Fuguta?" Kaiba inquired.

"They're being treated at the nearest hospital," Oliver replied. "I had the League check up on them earlier. Roland got the worst of it."

Kaiba grimaced and Oliver winced sympathetically. "He'll be fine," the vigilante said quickly. "He has a hairline fracture in his leg but otherwise his wounds are minor. Fuguta should be discharged sometime tomorrow. Nothing serious besides a few burns and bruised ribs."

Kaiba nodded, processing the information but did not respond aloud. Instead, he sat down on the messed up sheets covering his bed and placed a reassuring hand on his baby brother's mussed hair. Mokuba sat up and hugged his big brother properly, tucking his face in Kaiba's shoulder clutching the Duel Monsters card locket Kaiba always wore around his neck. Oliver took that as his queue to slip quietly out of the room.

Several minutes passed in silence as Kaiba and Mokuba just clung to each other, taking comfort from the other's warmth and solid presence. Unfortunately, Kaiba was forced to shake himself abruptly to keep from falling asleep like he desperately wanted to. He had to take care of things first. He moved to slip from Mokuba's grasp but his little brother caught him by his sleeve.

"Nii-sama," Mokuba called softly in Japanese. "I know I gave you back your Blue Eyes earlier but, um… I kept this safe for you. I thought it'd be better if I gave it to you when the others weren't around."

Kaiba's brow furrowed in confusion as Mokuba reached into his pants pocket and pulled out Kaiba's Deck. The Regent's eyes grew round, focusing their unwavering gaze on the Deck of Duel Monsters cards. How had he not sensed them? They had been this close to him the entire time and he had not noticed. He was more tired than he thought.

Without realizing what he was doing, he found himself reaching out and taking the offered Deck from Mokuba's hands. Instantly, he felt calmer, more stable as his Shadows latched onto the familiar Monsters, Spells, and Traps in his hard built Deck. Obelisk rumbled in his mind, shaking his soul and vibrating his Shadows like the strings of a cello. But something important was missing.

Kisara.

He pulled out his three _Blue Eyes White Dragon_ cards and replaced them in his Deck where they belonged. He kept the blank one on top, its empty face staring up at him accusingly. He lost her. How could he lose her? How dare that Bastard touch her let alone steal her. He was nowhere near worthy to be in her presence. Kaiba would retrieve her. He swore it.

"Seto."

Surprised by his first name, Kaiba looked up sharply meeting his little brother's dark blue-gray eyes.

Mokuba's face was open and guileless as he asked in a small voice, "Are you okay?"

He could not lie to his brother, not right now. He was too tired. He pulled out the golden apple from his pocket and studied it absently, rubbing his fingers along its smooth skin as he processed how to answer the question. Mokuba gazed at the fruit with obvious interest.

"I'm tired Mokie," he said simply, settling limply against the headboard. His glacial eyes lifted to stare directly at the hole in his wall unaware of the exuberant smile on Mokuba's face from the beloved nickname.

"Then sleep," Mokuba said, placing an encouraging hand on his big brother's arm. "I'll wake you when we're ready to go," he continued. His heart sank when he saw Kaiba already shaking his head.

"Can't," Kaiba said curtly. "I'll sleep when this is over and Kisara and Helios are back where they belong."

Mokuba sighed but smiled all the same. That was so typical of Seto.

"Why don't you go back to sleep for now," Kaiba said, pushing away from his little brother and standing.

"I'm not tired anymore," Mokuba denied.

"Then go help Ishizu," Kaiba ordered. "She needs help moving around with her injury."

"Fine," Mokuba huffed in disappointment. His eyes settled on the apple in Kaiba's hand again curiously. "What is that?" he asked.

"Nothing," Kaiba said simply. "Just something an idiot gave me."

"Nii-sama," Mokuba groaned.

"Go help Ishizu," Kaiba ordered, already moving to get ready for the inevitable confrontation later. "Let me know when the Emissary gets here."

"Okay," Mokuba said, rolling his eyes. "But you'd better sleep when this is all over. I'll get Seth to back me up."

 _:No need,:_ Seth whispered snidely in Kaiba's mind. _:I'll force you to sleep when this is over.:_

 _:You can try,:_ Kaiba countered.

He felt Seth grin and immediately felt annoyed. _:I don't think I'll need to do much except hold you down,:_ Seth said, his mental words brushing Kaiba's ear.  The hallucination was so real Kaiba almost reached up to swat his ear. Seth chuckled. _:Obelisk will do the rest.:_

Kaiba stiffened, both hearing and feeling Obelisk's deep grumble of agreement and swallowed uncomfortably.

"Nii-sama?" Mokuba asked, befuddled by his brother sudden discomfort. Then he understood and a smile touched his lips, his eyes glittering playfully. "Seth agrees with me, doesn't he?" he asked. He noticed the way Kaiba met his eyes in a silent challenge to that statement and grinned unrepentantly. "He does. Face it, Seto. You're outnumbered."

Without a backwards glance, Mokuba bounded out the bedroom door and down the hall leaving Kaiba standing alone in his ruined bedroom unable to decide whether or not to chase after the imperious brat and spank the crap out of him or laugh at the idea of being outnumbered. It was a difficult decision but ultimately, Kaiba huffed a laugh and mentally smacked Seth, grinning viciously at his Ba's startled cry.

 _:Attacking the innocent?:_ Seth whined.

"Hardly innocent, my Ba," Kaiba countered, fiddling with the golden apple again. "You'll get worse before I'm through with you," he promised, lifting the apple to his lips.

 _:I'd like to see you try,:_ Seth dared.

Kaiba smirked. "Challenge accepted," he said, deliberately biting into the golden apple and chewing slowly, savoring the sweet and tart flavor.

"It's good isn't it?"

Kaiba stiffened and turned around to see Arawn standing calmly on the remains of his damaged balcony just outside the walls of the house. "The hell are you doing?"

Arawn shrugged. "Making sure you eat the apple," he said casually. "And staring at you because I can."

"You're insane."

"Well, you wouldn't be the first to think so," Arawn admitted with a grin.

Rolling his eyes in annoyance. "Are you just going to stand there all night?" he demanded.

"I don't know. Are you inviting me in?" Arawn countered.

"Yes."

The Unseelie fae stood taller, a bright gleam in his eyes. "You _are_ inviting me in?" he repeated.

"I just said yes," Kaiba snapped. "Weren't you listening?"

Arawn grinned. "Yes, but I feel this should be formal. May I come in?" he asked, throwing in a mocking bow.

"I despise repeating myself faerie," Kaiba hissed. "Get in here or get the hell out."

A Cheshire cat grin filled the Unseelie's face. "That's three," he purred stepping across the threshold and into Kaiba's bedroom. Once inside, he stretched his back listening to it pop to his satisfaction.

"What's three?" Kaiba asked brushing away a dribble of apple juice from his lips. He paused when he realized his hands were empty. The golden apple was nowhere to be seen.

"You devoured it," Arawn said, answering the unspoken question. "That's the thing with golden apples. Once someone starts eating them, they can't stop until they finish." He shrugged. "It's just the way of things." His wine red eyes lost their playful gleam and his smile faded. "You'll begin to feel its affects within the hour."

Kaiba narrowed his eyes. "You didn't answer my question," he said simply.

"Oh?" Arawn asked, arching a teasing eyebrow. "And what question would that be?"

"What's three?" Kaiba pressed.

Arawn winked. "Just counting. You ate the apple faster than I thought you would," he said. "I counted thirty-four seconds. That's fast. Your body needed it more than I anticipated."

Kaiba huffed and turned away. "If all you're going to do is stand there and run your mouth, then leave."

Arawn did not move from his position other than to shift so he could lean against the wall and watch the Egyptian god of chaos curiously. Everything Kaiba did and said was careful, calculated, and planned. The level of self-control he commanded of himself and his powers was on the level of godhood whether the boy realized it or not. For someone to be tossed into the position of a god without warning, particularly a god of chaos, had to strain the body as well as the psyche and who knew what else was involved to the limit.

He watched Kaiba pull out a heavy metal box from under his bed, tap a code onto the keypad, open the box, and pull out a handgun. Arawn was mildly impressed by Kaiba's use of mundane weapons over the magic alternatives. It was yet another level of self-control he could not help but admire.

But then there was the one-sided conversation Kaiba had been in the middle of when Arawn had first announced his presence. Or was it truly one-sided? Mokuba had mentioned a person named Seth. Perhaps this Seth and Kaiba had a connection similar to what Arawn had with Pwyll, perhaps not. It was something to look into to distract him from his boredom later on.

Whoever it was clearly meant something to Kaiba if the endearment was anything to go by. My Ba. What did that mean? Was it actually an endearment or was it an insult? Judging from the manner in which it was said, Arawn leaned more towards the prior. Did Kaiba have a lover? Oh the opportunities that opened the young god to. It was positively enticing.

"Don't you have something to do, faerie?" Kaiba demanded as he loaded the handgun. "I'm not a lab rat to be studied." He removed the safety on the gun and lifted the now fully loaded weapon so the muzzle was aimed directly at Arawn's chest.

Arawn tilted his head thoughtfully, unintimidated by the show of force. "You _are_ a study though, aren't you?" he asked rhetorically. "How old are you? Not Set, you. Seto Kaiba. Twenty? Twenty-one? Thereabouts?" He pushed off from the wall and strode forwards until the cold metal of the gun was pressed against his sternum. "Am I the first god of chaos you've ever met other than yourself?"

"Kaiba!" a new voice call accompanied by Kaiba's bedroom door swinging open. "Anzu's here. We're almost ready to…go."

Yugi slowed down the moment he stepped into his Regent's bedroom and saw the gun. Yami's presence in his mind kept him calm as he surveyed the scene before him. Kaiba's eyes were cold and clear, his skin was beginning to regain some of its color, and the dark rings of exhaustion under his eyes were fading. Arawn was completely unfazed by the gun pressing against his heart and even wore a smug grin on his face revealing sharp white teeth.

"You should listen to your young King, Kaiba," Arawn said, his grin never fading. "I'll see you at the base of Mount Olympus shortly. From there, Selene will take us to the summit to face Zeus while your Justice League heads to Tartarus. Once there, the Tsukuyomi will guide the League to Helios before joining us at the summit. Laws of interference prevent him from directly helping them, you understand," he added with a wink. "However, that said, I look forward to the fun."

With a sly wink and a mocking salute, Arawn vanished.

"What was that all about?" Yugi asked, watching as Kaiba slowly lowered his gun.

"He was being an asshole," Kaiba replied shortly, turning the safety back on and placing the gun on the bed to retrieve its holster. He attached it to his pants and slid his gun inside, buckling it in place.

Yugi sighed. "But why did you threaten to shoot him?"

"I wasn't threatening him," Kaiba countered.

"You had your gun-"

"He was being an asshole."

Yugi groaned, his shoulders sagging in defeat. "You look better, by the way," he added, changing the subject. He studied his Regent closely. "Did you take a nap?"

"No."

"Then what-"

"Golden apple," Kaiba said curtly. "It's a temporary source of energy. It only lasts a few hours though."

"A golden apple?" Yami gasped, appearing beside his other half eyes wide in surprise. "Where did you get something like that?"

"Arawn," Kaiba replied. "I'll be at full power for our negotiations in case force is needed."

The Pharaoh's crimson eyes darkened astutely. "No one gives away something as valuable and sought after as a golden apple for no reason," he mused. "That was either a true sign of friendship or a way to entice us into his debt to collect at a later date. Possibly even both."

"I'm aware of that," Kaiba said, turning away from Yugi and Yami to run his hands over his face. "But I'm also aware of the shape I'm in. I can't sleep, not in my condition. Seth is helping me fright the urge but it's a temporary fix only. If I sleep now-"

"Your soul will sleep too," Yugi said, nodding in understanding.  He closed the door to Kaiba's bedroom most of the way leaving it cracked open as he stepped fully inside. He glanced over to the destroyed balcony and wall in morbid curiosity feeling guilt wash over him. "I'm sorry we weren't here to help you," he said regretfully.

"Yes," Kaiba growled. "About that. What was so important you both left this reality completely without its monarchy without knowing what the potential consequences of your actions would be such as how badly I plan on stringing you up to dry for pulling a stunt like that?"

Yugi blushed and ducked his head in shame while Yami crossed his arms across his chest and glared at the Regent. "We didn't mean to cause trouble-"

"Well you did," Kaiba snapped.

"-but it was necessary," the Pharaoh continued, his voice overriding Kaiba's. "We need more cards, Kaiba," he said seriously. "You know that."

"The Pegasus in the reality we went to no longer has the Eye," Yugi said, drawing Kaiba's cold gaze. "He agreed to help us. He's an ally to myself in that reality. We've agreed to meet up so he can give us a new group of cards as he creates them on the understanding the credit for their creation in this reality goes to Industrial Illusions."

"Bastard," Kaiba hissed in annoyance.

"He also made a card specifically for you," Yugi said, pulling something out of his pocket. "It was Ishizu's idea. She said you'd probably need it eventually." He held it in his hand facing away from Kaiba as he paused in thought. "I promised I'd give this to you with Pegasus present," he murmured, "but hopefully I can get away with this."

He lifted his head and pinned his Regent firmly with his violet eyes. "When all this is over, I want you to come to see Pegasus in that other reality," Yugi said. "It's important," he said quickly, cutting off Kaiba's immediate rebuttal. "I made a promise, Kaiba. It was the only way to get Pegasus to help us."

The Regent fumed. "I told you he was a godforsaken bastard," he hissed harshly.

"He's a businessman," Yami countered. "We had to give something in order to get something in return. You know how that is."

"Why me?" Kaiba demanded.

"He wants to see your _Kaibaman_ card," Yami explained. "He wants to make one for the version of you in his reality."

Kaiba's eyes narrowed. "Pegasus wouldn't settle for just that," he said. "What else does he want?"

The Pharaoh glanced at Yugi uncomfortably before turning back to Kaiba. "He wants to meet Seth," he said.

The air grew noticeably colder as Kaiba gripped his Shadows tightly, refusing to let them lash out at his fellow monarchy in the cold, hard fury he felt. "You told him about Seth," he growled.

"We had to," Yugi said reluctantly. "It was the only way to convince him to help us and to make this card."

"We don't need his help!" Kaiba roared. "And what's so special about that one card, anyway? What makes it more important than-"

Instead of replying, Yugi flipped the card around so the image faced Kaiba who immediately fell silent at the sight of it. All the air rushed out of him and he felt cold as the blood left his face. Seth was eerily silent in his head, just as dumbstruck as he was. It took them both a moment to fully comprehend what they were seeing.

There, staring back at him with a tender smile, was a breathtakingly beatiful woman.  Her sky blue eyes gazed dreamily off to the side while her long silver hair rippled in an unseen breeze. She wore a long, soft looking brown dress embellished with platinum and mother of pearl ornaments that hugged her slim figure flatteringly. Her hood was thrown back against her back, revealing her beautiful alabaster face illuminated by rays of golden sunlight streaming through the trees surround the forest clearing in which she stood.

She was a level one Light oriented Spellcaster/Tuner Monster with zero attack and defense points which meant she probably had a special effect or ability mentioned in the details at the bottom of the card. Her official name was _Maiden with Eyes of Blue_ ; but both Kaiba and Seth knew her as the one person they loved more than anything else, Mokuba aside.

"Kisara," he breathed.

"It's the only one in existence," Yugi said kindly. "He'll only make one more, but that one will be for the Kaiba in his reality. He won't make any more of this card ever. She's one of a kind and only you can use her."

"How?" Kaiba asked finally after fumbling with his words.

"She can be used to Special Summon a _Blue Eyes White Dragon_ from your hand, Deck, or Graveyard," Yami said. "Only you have all the _Blue Eyes White Dragons_ in this reality and in Pegasus's reality. That means only you can use her."

Neither Kaiba nor Seth could find the words to speak. They were too lost in their roiling emotions to form a complete thought other than Kisara's name. They tentatively reached out and brushed their fingers tenderly across the beautifully rendered image of their lover. They took the card numbly when Yugi pressed it into their hand unable to tear their eyes away from it.

"We'll get her back, Kaiba," Yugi said kindly. "I promise."

Yami laced his fingers with Yugi's and gently tugged him out of Kaiba's room. "We'll be getting ready," he said to his half oblivious Regent. "Take as long as you need."

He closed the door behind him and pressed his forehead to Yugi's, needing to feel his partner. The heartbroken expression on Kaiba's face had almost ruined his resolve. Clearly Yugi felt the same judging from the way the young King clung to his Ka and quivered as he fought back tears.

"That's enough Mai," Yami said quietly. "Text it to us then delete it, please."

"Fine by me," the Sorceress said grimly as she stopped recording and began readying the video to be sent. "Pegasus had better accept that or I'll beat the shit out of him myself."

 _:You won't be the only one,:_ Yugi thought. Yami nodded in agreement.


	41. Olympus and Suggestions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the gang finally arrives at Olympus and Kaiba shows a side of him that doesn't sit well with the majority.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** I'm so sorry for the delay. I had tests, then bunches of homework, and then I got sick. It was not fun. Anywho, I hope this extra long chapter makes up for it. Enjoy~

“Well that was a flashy entrance, I must say,” Arawn said chuckling. His sharp white teeth gleamed in the moonlight.

“Teleportation tends to be that way,” Flash said before vanishing. He reappeared a second later before a mildly startled Arawn. “Just four of you?” Flash asked curiously staring at the small group in front of him.

Arawn was the only one of the group who chuckled. The young man who stood to Arawn’s right with mouse brown hair, thin eyebrows, and eyes the shade of indigo smiled. The stranger wore a white and cream ensemble that was similar to Arawn’s in style but seemed more formal. A long, forest green cape draped over his shoulders and a golden, filigreed torque looped around his neck. A red scarf loosely draped over his shoulders, a green and gold belt looping his waist twice, and a coronet of twisted oak branches completed his outfit.

“What need have we for an army?” the stranger asked. “Moving an army across jurisdictions is not something that is easily kept hidden even with Arawn’s power of concealment.”

“Huh,” Flash huffed.

The brunette man’s eyebrows lifted and his smile became slightly sympathetic. “You do not trust us,” he said.

“Yeah, no, not really,” Flash replied. He tapped his comm unit and said, “Just the four. Send the group down.”

There was another flash of light behind the metahuman heralding the arrival of the Shadow Court and the Justice League. The Court stood to one side of Flash while the League stood on the other. Arawn’s grin widened and his blood red eyes narrowed as he studied the Regent's healthy form.

“I see my little gift worked, hm?” the Unseelie said smugly.

“Shut up faerie,” Kaiba snapped crisply. Mokuba snickered beside his brother.

The brunette next to Arawn heaved a put upon sigh as the Unseelie cackled. “Oh dear,” he muttered. “Arawn, my friend, please do not taunt them.” He stepped forward and extended his hand. “I am Pwyll Pen Annwn, Oak King and lord of the Seelie Court,” he said smiling. “It is a pleasure to finally meet you in person.”

Kaiba nodded but it was Yugi who stepped forward and took the Seelie King’s hand and shook it. “We have heard about you from our Regent,” Yugi said.

“I heard it from Arawn who's hardly a reliable source,” Kaiba said.

Arawn just shrugged, unaffected by the insult. Mokuba smiled, Yugi blushed, and Pwyll just shook his head.

“That he may be,” the Seelie King agreed, earning him a faintly hurt expression from his Unseelie counterpart. “But he is an honorable friend and a loyal companion. I could not ask for more.”

Pwyll turned to the Justice League and offered them a nod. “As I said, I am Pwyll, King of the Seelie Court,” he said. “I believe you know or are at least aware of Arawn,” he said, gesturing to the white haired Fae dressed in ebony standing next to him, “King of the Unseelie Court and my counterpart in our pantheon.” He turned to the two gods dressed in formal tradition Japanese attire standing silently to his left. “This is the Tsukuyomi no Mikoto,” Pwyll said gesturing to the serene figure with long lavender hair and dressed in an elegant black and white kimono, “and his brother the Susanoo no Mikoto,” he continued, gesturing to armored young man with spiky hair the color of the deepest ocean standing next to the Tsukuyomi with a serious, guarded expression.

“I’m only here because my brother asked me to come,” the Susanoo said coldly, crossing his arms across his half bare chest. “If he leaves, so do I, remember that.”

“Understandable,” J’onn said, nodding in aquiesence. “I am-”

“I’m well aware of who you all are,” the Susanoo snapped, his accent heavy. “It’s hard to exist in this world without at least being aware of the lot of you.”

“Bother,” the Tsukuyomi whispered, effectively silencing the fierce Shinto god. The Susanoo was clearly unamused but said nothing more. The Tsukuyomi placed his hands delicately at his sides and gave the slightest bow. “My brother and I will guide you to where Helios lies within Tartarus but I cannot get you inside or anything else. That is as far as I can go within the leeway of the non-interference laws.”

Diana nodded. “I can get my team into Tartarus,” she said. “We’ll follow you from there.”

The Tsukuyomi shook his head. “You misunderstand,” he said. “I cannot enter Tartarus.”

“Then how the hell will you guide us?” Hawkgirl demanded.

“Watch your language, alien,” the Susanoo warned.

“I will guide you with my light,” the Tsukuyomi replied, holding out a single plain paper talisman. The black symbols painted on the paper glowed before they and the paper they were drawn on morphed into a tiny butterfly made entirely of moonlight which alighted on the Tsukuyomi’s extended index finger.

“I am forbidden to directly enter places outside of our jurisdiction such as Tartarus,” he said calmly, a slight smily tugging at his lips as he gazed at the tiny butterfly. “But as I will not be entering directly, this is not a violation of the laws.”

"But you're coming with us to Olympus," Mokuba pointed out.

"To parlay with Zeus regarding the interference on my pantheon's jurisdiction," the Tsukuyomi answered, meeting Mokuba's eyes briefly before returning them to Kaiba. "And to watch one who is under my protection."

“You seem really hung up on these interference laws,” Green Lantern commented.

“We have to be,” Arawn said seriously. “Imagine the insanity if pantheons actively interfered with each other. We learned our lesson long ago.”

“What happened?” Arrow asked suspiciously.

Arawn looked away. “It was before my time,” he said vaguely.

"What about you?" Marik asked the Susanoo.

The Shinto god of the sea glared at the Egyptian Priest before dismissing him entirely. Marik felt his ire rise at being dismissed so easily, but felt a hand rest on his shoulder and glanced back to see Ishizu shake her head minutely. Before he could ask why, his sister nodded towards to Susanoo and Tsukuyomi indicating he should watch them. Obeying the silent command, Marik glanced back at the two Shinto gods.

The Susanoo stood close to and just in front of the Tsukuyomi, his stormy eyes watching everyone distrustfully. Anyone who so much as stared at the Tsukuyomi too long found themselves on the butt end of his furious gaze. But every time the Shinto god of the sea gazed at his brother, it was with adoration and friendship. Then Marik understood.

“Where’s Selene?” Kaiba demanded suddenly.

The Tsukuyomi turned his hand so the moonlight butterfly landed on his palm. Another paper talisman flew through the air to settle between his index and middle fingers and suddenly there was a man and a woman standing next to him where before there had only been the darkness of the forest around them.

The woman had long hair which brushed the ground despite being pinned up in twin buns on either side of her head. It fell like gleaming silver moonlight a few shades lighter than her gray eyes. Her skin was almost deathly pale but flushed with life. Her dress was also long and white. The waistline was high, the ribbon nestled just under her breasts, allowing the gathered fabric to tumble to the ground freely like a trumpet flower. It almost hid the tell-tale bump of her pregnant belly.

The man next to her was dressed in the same manner has Pwyll, but his clothes were less formal in style and more earthy in color. His hair was black and short. But unlike Pwyll’s windswept locks, it was cut close to his head and carefully brushed into place. His eyes were midnight blue, a shade or so lighter than Ishizu’s, and wary of the newcomers. He stood close to Selene, hovering protectively by her side.

“Titaness,” Diana said, bowing respectfully.

Selene reached out and gently guided the Amazoness back to her feet. “Do not bow,” she said. “Save my brother first.”

“We will, Titaness,” Diana replied respectfully. She turned to the man next to Selene and nodded to him respectfully. “You must be Endymion,” she said.

“I am,” he replied. “I’ll be accompanying Selene during this little venture.”

“Can you fight?” Mokuba asked doubtfully. “I mean you look good for an old guy, buy you know, I gotta ask.”

“I was a warrior in ancient Greece,” Endymion replied to the young Keeper. “I have retained those skills throughout the years, yes.” His eyes darkened. “That’s how I knew about this.” He held up a small amulet that sloshed with a thick red liquid. “It took some time and help to get it,” he said, nodding to Pwyll with smiled, “but it could help give our side more leverage against Zeus.”

“How?” Jounouchi asked, crossing his arms. “’Cause no offense ‘r nothin’, but I hardly see how a piddly li’le thing like that c’n help us here.”

“Is that-?” Diana breathed, her eyes wide with recognition.

“It is,” Selene replied, drawing the Amazon’s gaze. “I am doing this for my brother, myself, and my unborn child.” Her gray eyes grew frigid with fury. “If I have to, I am willing to kill Zeus to protect those I care for.”

“Anyone want to fill us in?” Hawkgirl asked, fiddling with her mace and earning a cold glare from the Susanoo for doing so.

“It’s Hind’s blood,” Arawn answered. “Blood from a Golden Hind is one of the few ways to permanently kill a Greek god, Olympian or Titan. The beasts were wiped out by Zeus because of that. Long story short, I had the blood and gave it to Pwyll who eventually gave it to our friend Endymion who will now help us in our struggle against Zeus.” He shrugged casually. “It’s always amusing how things come full circle.”

“Do I want to know how you got it?” Kaiba asked intrigued.

“I killed a Golden Hind back in the day,” Arawn said with a dismissive wave. "It was worth a lot."

“It was endangered,” Anzu said, planting her hands on her hips angrily.

“It was male,” Arawn said. “There were no more females. And besides,” he added darkly, “I had more important things to worry about at the time than the cruelty of helping along the destruction of a creature which was already destined to disappear.”

“Monster,” Anzu grumbled.

“Anzu,” Yugi chastised gently. “It was a long time ago.”

Kaiba remained silent, glancing at Ishizu who shook her head minutely. “Enough of this,” he muttered. He turned to Arawn and said, “We’re ready to get this over with if you are.”

“But of course,” the Unseelie said with a cheeky grin. “Selene, if you would, my dear.”

The Titaness nodded. “Olympus is slightly out of faze with this dimension. That’s why no can reach it here even if they climb the mountain. Once I transport us to that dimension, Zeus will know I’m nearby. We’ll have to move quickly.”

“Don’t worry,” Ryou said suddenly. “We’ll take care of that part when we get there.”

“Then we find Ares,” Kaiba said, a dark smile on his face. “I want to trying a little something on him.

Yugi blinked in surprise. “Really?” he gasped. He paused thoughtfully, listening to Yami’s voice only he could hear and nodded. “We could use him if this works,” he admitted. “You have free reign.”

Kaiba scoffed. “As if I needed your permission.”

Yugi laughed. “Of course not.

The Tsukuyomi approached the Amazoness and held out his hand with the moonlight butterfly. “I will know if you have found and retrieved Helios,” he said, "and will inform Selene. She may be able to help you escape but I cannot. Do not let anyone slay this shikigami. I cannot make another and send it to you in time.”

“Understood,” Diana said, holding out her own hand for the butterfly to land on her palm.

"Shikigami?" Mokuba asked, standing on his toes to see the glowing butterfly.

“And I’m gone,” Flash said. “Keep in touch.” Then he vanished in the light of the teleport, returning to the Watchtower.

“No one move,” Selene said, holding out her arms in supplication.

Her body began to glow with a soft, silver light that slowly enveloped the group. When it faded, the forest around them was different. The colors were sharper, less muted, and the very air felt heavy and ancient.

“ _Sanctuary in the Sky_ ,” Ryou said, his voice carrying through the heavy air as he tossed his Field Spell card out.

The change was immediate. The air around them shifted, first darkening as the Shadows advanced, encompassing the land, then lightening as the Field Spell took hold. The image on the card grew until it the landscape around them vanished briefly, replaced by an almost identical copy. But this Field Spell felt darker even though it appeared brighter. Olympus, far above them, gleamed with heavenly light, but that light felt darker, colder than it should be.

“Perfect,” Ryou purred in a voice that made Arrow uncomfortable.

The vigilante glanced at the Scribe and saw the heavy storm in the desert night and knew this was Thief, not the Scribe. He fought down the urge to step closer to the Regent, instinctively seeking the reassuring Balance as the Dark Shadows surrounded him.

"Eh, Nii-sama's _Mountain_ is cooler," Mokuba said. Kaiba's lips twitched but otherwise made no outward sign of his approval.

“Most impressive,” Arawn crowed, taking in the expansive Field Spell with great interest.

Pwyll seemed impressed as well, but his manner was less calm than his friend. He seemed tense, unnerved by something. The Tsukuyomi gazed around him with a mild expression while the Susanoo looked distinctly surprised.

Selene placed one hand over her heart and the other over her belly as she looked around her in shock. “What have you done to this place?” she gasped. “It’s the same but…”

“Nothing really,” Bakura said, speaking through Ryou’s body.

Arrow watched the Thief carefully, his fingers itching to hold his bow.

“It’s just a Field Spell,” Bakura continued. “Think of it as a rug slipping under our feet separating the _real_ Olympus with this one. Anyone and everyone I desire to be here, will be here. Anyone not invited, will be unable to get here.”

“And Zeus?” Endymion asked, placing a hand on Selene’s shoulder.

“Here,” Bakura replied. “Unfortunately. Luckily, he hasn’t moved since I cast this Spell.” He nodded up to the mountain’s summit. “He’s up there sitting with several other people, his fellow Olympians I presume.”

“And Ares?” Kaiba demanded.

Bakura grinned in a way that was distinctly not like Ryou. “Near the summit by himself,” he said. “Won’t be alone for long though. Someone’s approaching him.”

“How long?”

“Ten minutes, give or take.”

“How do you know this?” the Susanoo breathed.

“My Field Spell,” Bakura said with a shrug. “I allowed them here. I know where they are if I focus.”

Selene studied the Thief in the Scribe's body distrustfully but nodded. She turned Wonder Woman and her team. “I will send you to the entrance of Tartarus then you will be on your own save for the Tsukuyomi’s guide,” she said.

Diana bowed her head. “Understood.”

“Stand close,” the Titaness said.

"Wait," Kaiba said. He knelt his little brother, placing his hands on Mokuba's shoulders. He looked Mokuba directly in the eyes and took a deep breath before speaking in Japanese. "I need you to go with them."

"Nii-sama?!" Mokuba exclaimed, already shaking his head in adamant rejection of the idea.

"Mokuba, think of Helios," Kaiba pressed. "He would want someone he knows and trusts to be with him when they find him." Mokuba hesitated. "He trusts you. I trust you. I need you to represent me. Can you do that?" Doubt still clouded his little brother's eyes so Kaiba gave one last push. "For me?" he asked, leaning close to whisper, "Mokie," in Mokuba's ear.

He knew he won when he felt Mokuba's shoulders droop. He leaned back and saw mild annoyance mixed with frustrated warring on his little brother's face. Dark gray eyes met Kaiba's blue in depressed acquiescence. Kaiba knew he would be getting an earful about this later, but all he cared about was that he won this small victory. He loved his brother and knew in his heart of hearts that Mokuba would love him no matter what, but there were some things about himself he never wanted Mokuba to see or even dream about.

He stood and nudged Mokuba towards the Amazon. "Take him with you," he said. "Helios is comfortable with him and will probably need something to ground him when you find him," he said, cutting off Wonder Woman's automatic rejection.

"I have no objections," J'onn said, surprising the group. "I understand your reasoning."

Something in the alien's eerie yellow eyes made Kaiba's hackles rise. He instinctively glared at the Martian. "Telepath," he muttered.

"We'll keep him safe," Shayera said, drawing her mace.

"I'll hold you to that pet bird," Kaiba said.

"We'll hold ourselves to that," Green Lantern said.

Outnumbered, Wonder Woman grudgingly nodded. "Fine."

Selene hesitated only a moment before activating her power sending Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Hawkgirl, the Manhunter, and Mokuba to Tartarus. When they were gone and her power faded, she asked, "Why would you send your brother, a child, to that place?"

"Because he'll be safer there than he would be here," Kaiba answered.

He glanced back at Arrow who narrowed his eyes and nodded slowly. The vigilante too understood the things an older sibling would do to protect their baby brother or sister. Some things were better left to the shadows hiding the skeletons in the closet. Love may be unconditional, but that did not mean it did not change.

“We’ve got it from here,” Yugi said, changing the subject. He took the hands of the two Shadow Court members closest to him. “Grab someone’s hand near you and whatever you do, don’t let go. Ryou?”

The vigilante felt Bakura’s Shadow signature fade, replaced by Ryou’s desert night. “Locked," he said. "Ready?” he asked the King. Yugi nodded. “Then let’s go.”

The Shadows enveloped the entire group as Ryou cast his awareness across his Field Spell, locked onto Ares’s presence, and pulled them all as close as he dared. He had no desire to face Ares directly, not when his Regent clearly had something sinister planned for the Greek god of war. Bakura chuckled in Ryou’s mind.

 _:The Regent may be the Balance, but he has his moments of darkness,:_ Bakura said. _:Sometimes I even feel proud of him.:_

They appeared in a copse of trees near a wide field of flowers and grass. Ares was clearly frustrated by something. He was clutching his sword in a ready position and turning in cautious circles as if waiting for an attacker to approach.

 _:Well, well,:_ Bakura said, intrigued. _:It seems our little god of war is more than just brawn after all.:_

 _:You think he senses the Field Spell?:_ Ryou asked curiously.

_:It looks like it.:_

“Paranoid much?” Honda asked softly.

“My thoughts exactly,” Jounouchi said.

“Good,” Kaiba said. “He’s mine.”

“Don’t push too hard,” Ishizu warned. “That power is perilously close to mind control.” Arrow looked sharply over at the Priestess then his Regent, disconcerted. “Shaadi or I will step in if we feel you go too far.”

“They’ll stop you,” Mai said. “I’ll smack you.”

Kaiba rolled his eyes and vanished in a whirl of Shadows that rose up from the ground. Endymion gasped and Arawn released a low whistle, impressed.

“And they say I’m dramatic,” the Unseelie muttered.

* * *

 

Ares had no idea what exactly set him on edge, but something was not right. He could feel it. Everything seemed darker, more dangerous. Normally, he would have reveled in the feeling, but this was different. There was no battle nearby, no threats that he knew of other than Zeus’s bad temper.

The thought of the self-proclaimed king of the gods left a bad taste in Ares’s mouth. Ares had successfully tracked down Helios all on his own. He was not necessarily surprised to learn the damn Titan had holed up with Set and his posse but he was disappointed. It made capturing Helios that much more difficult. Sneaking into Japan unnoticed by the Shinto pantheon was considered a nigh impossible task and if he had been caught, which was practically guaranteed, his punishment would have been severe. Damn xenophobes.

So he had waited and waited and waited until _finally_ Set left Japan and took Helios with him. The pantheons of the Americas, particularly North America, were completely different from the others in the world. Spirits and elementals and spirit animals and creatures he did not even want to think about haunted the North American region. He heard stories about wendigos. There was no way in Hades he wanted to meet one of those unprepared.

Then he caught a break when he met that half crazed reality traversing sniper who called himself Paradox. It had been an accident, but it was one he did not regret. It seemed both Ares and this Paradox character had an extreme dislike for Set, so they struck a deal. They would work together until Helios was in Ares’s capable hands.

It worked. Granted the whole bomb issue had been Paradox’s idea. It was not how Ares preferred to work but it had done the job. Ares never like strategizing. He left that to the likes of Athena. Give him a blood soaked battlefield with berserkers and he was in his element. The confusion of watching Set struck right between the eyes by Paradox’s bullet, only to vanish in thin air as if he had never been there. The resulting chaos from the bomb explosions had drawn out the real Set who had been shot but Helios -stupid Helios- had tried to save that boy.

And vanished. Then Paradox had gone and told Ares he could travel through realities. _Realities!_  Apparently traversing realities was something only a select few such as Paradox could do. Alternate realities. Alternate timelines. All out of his jurisdiction. But Paradox seemed unbothered by that fact and reminded Ares that because it was an alternate reality, who was to say Ares was interfering with another pantheon? And how could the offended pantheon get back at him if he returned to his home reality? 

That still left some questions unanswered such as how by Hades did Helios get tossed into another reality in the first place if Ares was absolutely certain that was not one of the Titan’s abilities? But Ares shelved those questions for later. He had successfully captured Helios in another reality! That had not been easy by any means. Afterwards, Paradox had been honorable enough to respect their deal and return Ares and his prize to Greece in their home reality before leaving.

Ares had presented a temporarily dead Helios to Zeus. But was Ares rewarded for his ability? Was he praised for his prowess? No. None of the above. Zeus had lectured Ares like an errant child, dismissed the notion of alternate realities, and had the Titan thrown into Tartarus. Ares had not been rewarded or praised or received anything other than the lecture of disappointment from an absent, uncaring parent.

Was there nothing Ares could do to earn Zeus’s praise? It seemed not. Ares would always be the bloodthirsty war god. Or he would be as long as Zeus was in power. Zeus had grown old and senile. His decisions had never been wise ones but lately he had been playing it safe, never taking risks, never doing anything to encourage the believers their pantheon still had or build their belief base. All Zeus had done was sit on his throne and brood.

Even Athena, the goddess of wisdom, openly distrusted Zeus and went so far as to challenge him. The older Olympians had outgrown their usefulness. It was about time for the new blood to take over. Unfortunately, that was easier said than done.

Now with this strange darkness perverting his home, Ares could not think straight. Had Zeus found out about Ares’s treasonous thoughts? Was he going to be punished?  
Ares felt something stir behind him and whirled around, sword raised defensively to face the threat. However, the moment he saw his opponent he stilled.

“Set!?” he gasped. “What by Hades are you doing up here? You can’t be here. This is Olympus. This is _our_   territory. You’re interfering.”

“You attacked me and mine," Set hiss coldly, "stole a protected refugee from my watch, and very nearly murdered my brother and my fellow monarchy. Did you really think I would let that stand unchallenged?”

“I never directly attacked your pantheon or touched you while you were in Japan,” Ares countered. “ _I_ never interfered.”

Set’s grin was like a steel blade. “I never said anything about my pantheon,” he said. “I said you attacked me and mine. You attacked me personally, hurt my brother indirectly causing me harm, and took Helios from under my protection.”

“It was pathetic protection,” Ares said derisively.

Set’s eyes narrowed and his smile sharpened viciously. “By attacking me personally, you interfered with another pantheon. Your mistake was only ever thinking of me as Set of the Egyptian pantheon. First and foremost, I am Kaiba Seto, CEO of Kaiba Corporations, citizen of Japan, and staunch believer in the traditional Japanese culture. I feel pride for my country of origin which most certainly is _not_ Egypt. As long as I am not acting as Set, I am protected by the Japanese pantheon. _You_ interfered, not me.”

Ares paled visibly. “You’re lying.”

Set’s eyes burned furiously. “I _never_ lie.”

Ares hesitated a moment before leaping at Set, only to cut through nothing. Unable to stop his forward momentum after not meeting the expected resistance, Ares stumbled. He quickly gathered his wits and spun around, ready to attack and receive a counter attack. But instead, he was greeted by the grinning visage of Set doubled. Standing next to Set was an exact replica of Set with the exact same grin on his face.

“What kind of magic is this?” Ares demanded.

Set did not answer, he just stared steadily at Ares with his cold blue eyes. Answer. Answer what? Did he ask a question? Blue. What was going on? Why was Set not attacking? Why wasn’t he talking? Who talking? Blue. This was ridiculous. This whole situation was ridiculous. Blue. Why couldn’t he think straight? Everything seemed foggy. None of this would have happened if Zeus had not been a prick.

Zeus.

Yes. Zeus. It was all Zeus’s fault. Blue. He was so confused. It didn’t make sense. It never made sense. Ice. Zeus was just a cold-hearted bastard who couldn’t find it in him to care about his real children, just the whores he fucked. His head was fogged with power and corruption. Blue. It wasn’t Ares, it was Zeus. Zeus was mad. Zeus never made sense. Zeus was ridiculous. Zeus was all talk, never attacking when threatened like a soldier. Blue. Zeus caused all of this. Zeus questioned Ares’s word. Zeus resisted change. Zeus made a mess of everything. Zeus never answered for his crimes.

Zeus did not deserve the throne.

“No he doesn’t.”

Zeus was a coward.

“Yes, he is.”

Zeus was obsessed with power.

“Power is toxic.”

Zeus never cared for him.

“Never.”

Zeus needed to change.

“Yes. Or…”

Zeus needed to leave.

“Yes.”

Zeus needed to be replaced.

“By you?”

No. There was no battlefield on the throne.

“But he needs to be replaced.”

Yes.

“Zeus.”

Yes.

“Zeus caused this.”

Yes.

“You blame him.”

Yes.

“Are you a man?”

Yes!

“Then deal with Zeus like a man.”

Yes.

“Face him.”

Yes.

“I hate him too.”

Yes?

“Let’s defeat him.”

Yes?

“Let’s make him suffer.”

Yes.

“For everything he did to you.”

Yes.

“Make him suffer.”

Yes.

“Make him pay.”

_Yes!_

“Who is the enemy?”

Him.

“Name him.”

Zeus.

“Again.”

Zeus.

“Again.”

Zeus!

“Again.”

_Zeus!_

“Who is the enemy?”

Zeus!

“Then, let’s deal with him.”

Yes.

“Let’s get Zeus.”

Yes!

“Let’s make him pay.”

_Yes!_

* * *

 

Kaiba stepped back and relaxed his hold. “He’s mine,” he said.

“That was easier than I expected,” Seth said, leaning close to his Ka.

“He was already confused,” Kaiba said, “and angry. I just used those against him. The fact he was angry at Zeus was just a plus.”

“What have you done to him?”

Kaiba and Seth both turned to see Selene staring at them in horror. Neither Seth nor Kaiba spoke. Instead, Kaiba drew a card, whispered the name of the Trap, and was greeted by an exact copy of himself. The Trap wearing Kaiba’s face glanced at the entranced Ares and morphed into Ares’s form.

The Cloned Ares lifted its hands, studying them with interest, gauging the new attack and defense points it had received as well as any and all special abilities the real Ares may have had, adapting to them and relaxing into its new skin. When it was finished, it lifted its head and nodded to Kaiba, indicating it was ready for a command. Kaiba grinned.

“Osiris damn it, what _was_ that?!” Arrow demanded.

“The reason why Set gained the moniker ‘god of chaos,’” Kaiba said, meeting Arrow’s eyes. “Instead of forcing my way into someone’s mind, bending them to my will and manipulating them like a puppet, I use what they already have and turn it to my advantage. I brought chaos and confusion upon the enemy, turning them on each other from the inside."

“And your identical twin?” Arawn asked, boldly stepping forward past the disconcerted vigilante to stand directly in front of Seth. “You must be Seth.” He chuckled when Kaiba glanced at him sharply. “I was on your balcony watching you for a while before you noticed me, Set,” he chastened teasingly. “So, is this another shape-changer like that one?” he asked, pointing to the Clone Ares.

“No,” Kaiba replied. “He’s my other half.”

“Other half?” Arawn asked, lifting an eyebrow suggestively. “Lover you mean?”

Kaiba’s face flushed red but nowhere near as bright or pronounced as Seth’s face did. "No," Kaiba said shortly and perhaps a tad to quickly.

Mai snickered and practically skipped up to join Arawn. “You think so too?” she asked the Fae.

“Sorceress,” Kaiba warned.

“The blush is a dead giveaway, isn’t it,” Mai continued, heedless of the warning.

“Oh yes, indeed,” Arawn agreed enthusiastically.

“Wait, wait, _wait!_ ” Jounouchi exclaimed frantically, drawing everyone’s attention. “Is _no_ one going to point out that what just happened here broke the laws of the Shadow Court?”

“Yeah," Anzu said. “That sure as hell looked like mind control to me,” she said, glaring hatefully at Kaiba.

“It was not,” Shaadi said mildly, his hands tucked comfortably in his sleeves. “It was no different than hypnotism, the power of suggestion; something humans do every day whether deliberately or not.”

“But-”

“I would have stopped him had he been about to break the rules,” Yugi said, startling the group silent. “It’s a power Set used often in Ancient Egypt in the defense of our kingdom and the Pharaoh. Mind control can force someone to go against their very nature by subverting their consciousness and sometimes even their soul. That's why it's forbidden."

Ishizu nodded. "What the Regent did is a type of hypnotism," she explained. "He can never force his victims to go against their nature. If he gives them a command that goes against everything that person believes in or that's something they would never do no matter the reason, than that command will go ignored."

Shaadi nodded. "Indeed." He tilted his head slightly, gazing at the be-spelled Ares thoughtfully. "Although, I was under the impression you were unable or simply refused to use that particular power."

"I can use it," Kaiba said curtly, avoiding his Court's eyes in favor of studying his captive Ares. "I simply choose not to consciously use it unless I have no other choice."

"Consciously use it?" Pwyll murmured, glancing at Arawn who met his gaze evenly.

“Well, well,” Ryou purred in a voice that the Court knew belonged to the Thief, not the Scribe. “You’re darker than I gave you credit for Regent. That’s a clever little trick you have there.”

“Burn in Ra’s flames, Thief,” Kaiba said dismissively, ignoring Bakura’s laughter.

“Alright, alright, great,” Marik said. “So it didn’t break the rules. That still doesn’t explain what you plan on doing with your new toy over there. Or why you used the _Cloning_ Trap either.”

“ _Cloning_?” Arrow asked.

“Yeah,” Honda said. “One of Kaiba’s favorite Traps. He doesn’t use it often outside Duel Monsters because it’s powerful.”

“It takes the form of an enemy Monster,” Ishizu explained, “or in this case, an enemy of Kaiba's choice and receives all of the stats formerly belonging to that enemy. Then that cloned Monster or enemy serves its master until either it’s destroyed, it's target is destroyed, or Kaiba dismisses it. Whichever comes first.”

“What have you done to Ares?” Selene demanded, pushing past the Tsukuyomi, Endymion grabbing her arm and preventing her from approaching Set.

“Nothing,” Kaiba said, turning back to his be-spelled captive. “We needed to trade Ares for Helios. That was always the plan.”

“You plan on giving Zeus the Ares you created in place of the real one,” the Tsukuyomi said softly. Kaiba glanced at the Shinto moon god over his shoulder, listening. The Tsukuyomi met his eyes and said, “And keep the real Ares for yourself.”

“Until I give him to the Justice League to pay for his crimes, yes,” Kaiba said.

“But if you traded Ares in to Zeus, you wouldn’t have gotten him back,” the Susanoo said, a sly slime tugging the corner of his lips. “A contingency plan.”

“ _Another_ contingency plan,” the Tsukuyomi said. "The first is the retrieval of Helios from Tartarus despite the trade for him.”

“I get what I want,” Kaiba said. “One way or another.” He turned back to his captive and glared at its now blank eyes. “The fact he hurt my brother just makes this that much more entertaining for me.”

"Yes, well, I'd hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I suggest we leave unless we want to get caught," Ryou said. "I did say someone was approaching Ares's position."

" _Cloning_ ," Kaiba commanded in hieratic, "remain here. From this moment, you are Ares, the Olympian god of war, is that understood?" The Clone Ares nodded. "Good."

"Move your ass, Regent," Bakura snapped through Ryou's mouth.


	42. Confrontations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the Justice League arrives in Tartarus and the alliance of pantheons faces off against the Greeks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for the delay. I was focusing on NaNoWriMo and the college hits me in the gut. Now I'm in the middle of Finals Week. I'm posting this as an apology for the delay. I'm not leaving this hanging. No way.
> 
> Side note, I posted a new fic called _Seven Seconds of Chaos_ that takes place in this series but in the future and is a crossover with _Criminal Minds_. It can stand alone but yeah... The inspiration hit so I figured why not?

"Ares!" Artemis called, frustration lacing her voice. "Why by Hades aren't you at Council?" she demanded, stalking up to the infamous god of war. "He called it to order a half hour ago."

"And yet you're absent as well, half-sister," Ares said with a smirk, returning to his drills. "If that bastard thinks he can command my every move then he is sorely mistaken."

Artemis fingered the knife at her hip, wanting badly to draw it. The subtle movement was not lost on Ares who chortled and turned to the huntress fully. "Haven't had a decent challenge in a while, half-sister mine?" he teased, hefting his own sword. "Care to trade a few blows?"

The huntress fumed, wishing she could accept Ares' offer if only to relieve some of her pent up fury and stress. Unfortunately, Zeus was expecting her back with her wayward sibling. She stood tall in a visible withdrawal to which Ares clucked and shook his head.

"You've certainly changed these past few centuries," he commented wistfully. "You never used to hesitate when challenged. You took it as a personal affront and were particularly vicious in battle." He shrugged and sheathed his sword, narrowing his eyes as he did so. "That aside, do you notice anything different Artemis?"

The huntress studied Ares, watching for any sign if deception. Finding none, she shifted her feet to a more comfortable stance. "I did," she said, glancing at their surroundings distrustfully. "Olympus feels wrong."

"Perhaps our sacred mountain has finally rejected our useless drunkard of a father," Ares said.

"Watch your mouth!" Artemis snapped. "You may have your personal feelings about Zeus but for Hera's sake, keep them to yourself."

"Is that concern I hear, dear Artemis?" Ares asked in mock surprise. He placed a hand over the center of his breastplate theatrically. "For me? Why you warm my heart."

Artemis hissed and turned sharply. "Come or don't," she said. "But don't expect me to cover for you when Zeus demands to know why you didn't come on his orders."

Ares waited a good few seconds before heaving a heavy sigh and hurrying after the huntress. "Coming, coming," he called, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Wouldn't want to upset the all-mighty Zeus, now would we?" he needled as he raced past Artemis.

The huntress flinched and bared her teeth in barely restrained fury. She cursed colorfully and followed after Ares. She would be damned if she arrived to council last.

Hidden by the Shadows, Bakura snickered. "And to think I got to see a performance like that for free," he said smirking. "That was almost on par with _The Young and the Restless_."

Jounouchi glanced at Bakura in mild disbelief. "You watch that crap?" he asked.

Bakura shrugged. "Not particularly," he said casually. "But from the parts I have while channel flipping, that right there," he nodded to the now vacant area where Cloned Ares and Artemis had spoken just moments before, "would not have been a jarring addition."

Marik snickered. "Yes, I can see it now." He held up his hands as if presenting something. "Next time on the _The Young and the Restless Olympians_ ," he said in an overly dramatic announcer voice, "Ares makes Artemis mad. Could this be the end of an already defunct and inbred relationship?"

Even Kaiba smirked at that.

* * *

 

Whatever Green Lantern had been expecting, he tossed it out with the garbage. Tartarus was not a cage or altogether frightening place. It was not dark or enclosed or anything remotely associated with the word “prison.” It was actually wide open and endless.

Beneath his feet was a sea of sand rising and falling in wind sculpted dunes that heaved and flowed like the endless waves on the ocean. It brought a new consideration to the idea of the ocean being a desert. Thank goodness everyone present could fly with the sole exception of Mokuba. He quickly created a sphere of emerald green energy around the tumbling boy catching him and easing his fall.

“Mokuba!” he called, flying down to be level with the orb.

“Are you well?” J’onn asked.

Mokuba pushed himself up slowly shaking his head as if to clear it. He blinked slate gray eyes at his companions for a moment before smiling. “I’m fine,” he said waving. “Don’t worry. I’m almost used to falling by now,” he joked.

“I’m not sure I like the sound of that,” Wonder Woman said, her hand held palm up so the Tsukuyomi’s shikigami could flutter up into the air around them.

“Neither do I,” Hawkgirl said, lowering her mace and watching the butterfly made of pure moonlight fly around their little group, orienting itself with their location. “Do you think she meant to drop us in space like that?” she asked Diana.

The Amazoness shook her head. “I highly doubt it.” She looked back to their surroundings. “From the looks of it, I’d say everything is open space here eventually.”

“Yeah,” Lantern said, voice grim. “Not exactly what I expected.”

“You’re not alone there, Lantern,” Shayera said.

They hovered in the air watching the waves of sand sink revealing the toppled remains of a stone city, the crumbling columns chipping away as the sand brushed against it. Wind blew in their faces, howling hauntingly as it passed.

“Creepy,” Mokuba mumbled.

“I can agree with that,” Lantern said.

“So where is everyone?” Shayera asked.

“Tartarus is an entire dimension,” Diana said with some reluctance. “Not much is known about it.”

Mokuba stood in the glowing sphere and crossed his arms thoughtfully. “Why would you send someone to a place you don’t know much about?” he asked, tilting his head to the side. “That’s kinda stupid. I mean, how do you know the place is bad at all?”

“Oh we do,” Diana replied, her eyes narrowing. “It was created for the sole purpose of being a prison for gods.”

“Specifically the Titans,” Shayera said, glancing at her friend. Diana nodded just as the glowing butterfly fluttered back to her. “Let me guess,” Hawkgirl said propping her free fist on her hip, “Zeus made it.”

“Actually no,” Diana said. “It predates him. It predates even Cronus, former king of the Titans.” She turned to her friends and sighed. “It’s a deity unlike any we’ve ever encountered.”

“Deity?” J’onn asked. He hummed softly. “That explains why I sense those…” he hesitated, “thoughts.”

The Amazon nodded. “This place, Tartarus, is sentient. That’s why it’s such an efficient prison.”

“It makes sure its inhabitants stay here at any and all costs,” Lantern said. “Not a fan.”

“Neither am I,” Wonder Woman said. “Let’s get this over with as quickly as possible.”

The Tsukuyomi’s butterfly took flight once more and made its delicate way forward guiding the group to where they hoped Helios would be. Mokuba bit his lip and braced himself against the front of the glowing energy orb as Green Lantern and the other Justice League members followed the butterfly over the heaving sea of sand. The crumbling ruins revealed by the sand vanished under another wave of sandy dunes and he could not help but hope that was not an omen.

This place gave him the creeps. Other than the sky, a featureless expanse above them that emanated light from an unseen source, and the constantly moving ground beneath them, there were no features to guide them or orient them. Everything changed, nothing stayed the same, and yet everything was unchanging and the same. The place made him feel disoriented and disturbed.

There was a wrongness that permeated through Tartarus shaking Mokuba to his soul. He could feel his Shadows rebelling against this place. He and the Justice League had no business being here and Mokuba had the strangest feeling that Tartarus knew it too. The Keeper of the Shadow Court gulped, sincerely hoping they could find Helios and get out of here before Tartarus kicked them out personally.

* * *

 

“You’re late,” Zeus said, his voice carrying well despite the lack of volume.

That may have been what made Artemis pale even though she had managed to pass Ares and reach the Council first. As it was, she bit her tongue and bow as respectfully as she could. When she straightened she noticed Ares standing proudly beside her, arms crossed over his chest and glaring at Zeus.

“What do you want, old man?” he demanded. “Another lecture?” He spit on the ground at Zeus’s feet, stunning the goddess of the hunt. “Tell it to someone who cares.”

“I suggest you hold your tongue Ares,” Hades said, his long ebony locks dripping over his shoulders. “This is neither the time nor the place.”

“Yeah?” Ares said, turning his gaze to the god of the underworld with disdain. “Then when will the right time be, hm? When will we finally be at the right place to have this talk?”

“That’s enough,” Zeus said, his golden eyes flashing.

“No, it’s not,” Ares countered sharply. “I’ve had it. I chased after Helios because _you_ told me to. I brought him back here like _you_ wanted and what did I get for my troubles? Nothing but ridicule and a lecture and dismissal like I'm some errant child. I am _not_ a child and I’ll be damned if I let you keep treating me like I am, you goddamn asshole.”

“Ares!” Apollo gasped, standing from his seat in shock.

Artemis stared at Ares as if only just seeing him. Hades’s eyes were wide with disturbed awe. Athena lifted both of her eyebrows impressed by the display. Hera sat back, stunned by the young god of war’s words and actions. However, it was Dionysus who broke the tension by laughing.

He laughed so hard he fell back on the blanket and pillows spread out beneath him. His arms clutched his belly as he rolled on his side and cackled madly.

“Th…that was….” He burst into hysterical giggles. “That was amazing!” he finally managed to gasp between cackles. “You…” he tried to point at Ares but his hand could barely stay still. “You were all red and puffed like… A-ha aha-a puffer fish.” He collapsed back onto his back and kicked his feet, laughing so hard he could barely breathe. “I am so glad I got up today,” he gasped when he got the chance to snag a breath.

“You find this…funny?” Ares huffed in disbelief.

“No,” Dionysus panted breathlessly. “I find it hilarious. Ah, my side hurts. Hehe.” He quickly lost himself in another fit of giggles.

“Dionysus control yourself!” Hera snapped furiously.

“Yes, yes, of course dearest mother,” the god of ritual madness said, pushing himself up to his feet. He staggered towards Ares and slapped a hand on his half sibling’s shoulder, surprising the god of war thoroughly. “That was the best laugh I’ve had in a while,” he said. “Ah, I needed that.”

“Enough!”

Dionysus flinched at Zeus’s roaring voice accompanied by a crash of thunder, stumbling back from Ares. His eyes fixed on Zeus in mixed amusement and terror.

“You will all of you behave,” the king of the Olympians declared, leveling a vicious glare at Ares and Dionysus.

Artemis stood her ground but glanced surreptitiously at Athena who met her gaze uneasily.

“I am the lord of Olympus,” Zeus said, his voice filling the Council.

“And I am apparently a god of chaos who is notoriously short on patience,” Kaiba said appearing in the middle of the madness in a while of Shadows.

“You!” Ares hissed, grabbed his sword. He froze when Zeus waved a hand, silently commanding him to stand aside. The god of war seethed in fury.

“You are trespassing, Set,” Zeus said, staring down at Kaiba with detached fury. “I could detain you for interfering in my pantheon.”

“Hardly,” Kaiba countered smoothly. “Seeing as it was your pantheon who interfered first, consider this a declaration of war.”

“War?” Hades repeated doubtfully. “On us? You are a young pantheon, un-established, and currently you are alone.”

“It’s not just him, fat ass,” another voice said just as none other than the lord of the Unseelie Fae stepped forward. The Holly King gave a mocking bow before making a show of holding his nose. “Honestly,” he sighed, “could you not hold that fart until we were gone? It smells as bad as your judgement.”

Dionysus snorted with the effort to hold in his cackles, a fay smile breaking through his defenses. Zeus’s eyes blazed wrathfully.

“You dare speak to me that way nymph?” the king of Olympians growled.

“We are neither of us nymphs,” Pwyll said, stepping up to stand even with Arawn and Kaiba. “We are gods as you are and deserve your respect.”

“Hardly,” Zeus snapped. “I am older than the both of you combined. I am the one you should bow to.”

“I bow to no one,” Kaiba said, voice as cold as his eyes. “You will hear me out or I will simply take what I came for and leave this place in shambles.”

“And by what right do you come in here and make such demands?” Hera said before Zeus could respond.

“I demand Helios be returned to my protection where he belongs,” Kaiba said firmly. “And I want Ares to answer for his crimes against both my pantheon and another.”

Hera nodded. “I assume the two Welshmen beside you are from the other wronged pantheon?” she asked, eyes studying the Holly King and Oak King astutely. “It is rare for both Courts to unite in such a way.”

Arawn snorted. “While I admit, that part is true, it is _not_ true that we are the other offended party. At least, not in that respect. That honor lies with the Japanese pantheon, represented by the noble Tsukuyomi no Mikoto and the Susanoo no Mikoto.”

The two Japanese gods stepped wordlessly out of the Shadows to join Kaiba and the Fae in the Council.

“What is the offense you,” Zeus paused, “ _claim_ to have suffered?”

“Your god of war has attacked one under our protection,” the Susanoo no Mikoto stated simply, fingering his slender blade strapped to his side. “By doing so, he directly interfered in our pantheon’s jurisdiction. We demand he face our punishment.”

“He also interfered in my pantheon by taking Helios from my protection and thus by extension the protection of the entire Egyptian pantheon,” Kaiba added.

Zeus sneered, turning his hateful gaze on the Fae. “And I suppose you two want in on the action as well. Is there another guest coming I should be aware of?” he jeered.

“Yes, as a matter of fact,” Arawn said with a grin. “Well,” he corrected, “ _she_  wants in,” he said pointing to the silvery woman who suddenly stood next to him to the surprise of many. “And so does he,” he added, pointing to a green hooded archer who stepped out of the Shadows by Kaiba’s side. “I’m just here to watch the chaos,” the Unseelie King added playfully. “I must say, this is turning out to be a hell of a lot more amusing than I originally anticipated. Please do keep it up.”

“Selene,” Athena whispered. The goddess of wisdom nodded to the Titaness respectfully earning a nod in reply.

“I too have grievances with which to charge you,” Selene said simply. “You will face them all. But first I want my brother back.”

“I’m here on behalf of the Justice League,” Green Arrow said. “Ares attacked the humans who are under the protection of the League. We demand he faces justice for the harm he caused.”

Zeus laughed. “And you think you can just walk onto Olympus, into _my_ Council and make these ridiculous demands?” he said snidely.

The Tsukuyomi tilted his head and met Zeus’s gaze evenly. “You are declaring war on all three of our pantheons then?” he asked mildly. His voice was soft like an evening breeze but the words fell heavy on those present. “I am certain my sister would be… less than pleased by this outcome. Although I think the Unseelie and Seelie Courts would enjoy the distraction,” he blinked slowly, almost lazily, “I doubt you and your fellow gods present will be able to get past the entire Egyptian pantheon.”

“Entire…” Artemis whispered.

Suddenly the darkness around the Council columns writhed revealing eleven figures standing in a circle around the Council chambers. Their features were hidden by the darkness that clung to them like inky skin but their eyes gleamed.

“Yes,” the living shadow to Zeus’s right said. Its voice was deep and rich, dripping with power and authority and its eyes gleamed dark red in the dim light. “The _entire_ Egyptian pantheon.”

“We’re willing to discuss a trade,” Kaiba said, drawing Zeus’s attention back to himself. “In exchange for returning Helios alive and well to my protection and swearing never to touch him so long as he remains such, both my pantheon and the Japanese pantheon are willing to withdraw our claim from Ares. These are our terms.”

“Father I-”

“Be silent,” Zeus said, cutting off Ares plea sharply. The king of the Olympians studied the alliance of pantheons as well as the shadowy figures of the rest of the Egyptian pantheon in disgust. “I have business to tend to regarding Helios,” he said. “Therefore I cannot meet your terms. Take Ares.”

“What?!” the young god of war gasped.

“Zeus!” Apollo breathed.

“You bastard,” Artemis hissed hatefully.

“You can’t do this!” Athena cried, standing from her chair.

Dionysus reached for a goblet of wine. He needed the drink. Hera’s face paled as did Hades’. Both elder Olympians met each others' eyes. It was Hades who looked away first.

Kaiba grinned victoriously and his shoulders began to shake as laughter spilled forth from his lips. Zeus watched the Egyptian god of chaos with unease.

“Did you hear that Ares?” Kaiba cried loudly. “Did you hear? Your own father cares more about a criminal than you.”

Ares flinched, his hand tightening its grip on the sword at his belt as he listened to Set’s words.

“You see now?” Kaiba said. “He never loved you. He only used you as a tool. You’ve outlived your usefulness, Ares. What happens to a tool when it’s no longer useful?” Glacial blue eyes sparked. “It’s thrown away, tossed aside like trash. Is that what you are Ares? Are you trash?”

“No.”

The reply came from Ares whose lips formed the word defiantly, but it also seemed to come from behind Kaiba. How could that be?

“No? Not trash?” Kaiba said. “Then tell me, who is your enemy? Say his name.”

“Zeus.”

Again, Ares’s lips formed the word but the sound seemed to emanate from both his mouth as well as a place somewhere in the darkness behind Kaiba.

“And what do you do with an enemy?” Kaiba asked.

“Kill them.”

“What is this nonsense?” Zeus demanded.

Kaiba smirked. “You are a fool,” he said simply.

“You dare!”

“At least I’m not the one who can’t even tell his own son from a fake,” Kaiba said sternly.


	43. Tartarus: the Deep Abyss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Tartarus begins to reveal its true nature, the lost is found, and the seekers and trapped.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** Sorry for the delay. I'm more tired than I thought I was. I've basically woken up, gone to work, then crashed every day. I've somehow managed to write this in between. Hope it's suitable.

It just kept going. On and on and on in a never-ending desert. Far ahead, the infinite desert met the deep sapphire expanse that was the sky. The blue was deeper than Mokuba remembered the real sky ever being during the day. It reminded him of dusk. But light emanated from the deep blue allowing the group to see and be seen by any living thing.

So far, however, there had been no sign of anything, living or dead. Just wave after wave of sand dunes. It was generally boring aside from the fact this was purported to be a prison. That disturbing feeling of being watched still tingled on the edges of Mokuba's senses too. He had long ago decided he hated this place. He sincerely hoped Helios was alright.

He looked up when he noticed the Justice League had stopped moving. Green Lantern did not look too happy about something and it seemed like the others had similar thoughts.

"What's going on?" Mokuba asked.

"We're back where we started," Lantern said, huffing in frustration.

"You don't know that," Diana countered. Her voice, although firm, had the barest hint of doubt.

"We never veered off in any direction," Hawkgirl said. "We maintained a straight course."

"Then what's that?" Lantern pointed.

The League followed Lantern's finger with their eyes and saw crumbled remains revealed by the ever moving sands. But these were not just any remains. These were identical to the first ones they had seen upon entering this god forsaken place.

"Creepy," Mokuba muttered.

"What if we did not move at all?" J'onn said thoughtfully.

"What do you mean by that?" Shayera asked curiously.

The Manhunter paused as he attempted to find the right words to voice his thoughts. "The Tsukuyomi's guide has lead us here," he said, studying the butterfly of moonlight as it fluttered in a circle. "But perhaps it is just as confused by this place as we are?"

Mokuba was already shaking his head. "No," he said. "What if we did move but we didn't at the same time?"

"How does that make sense?" Lantern asked. Although the question was curt, the tone was curious and open to potential answers.

Mokuba shrugged and continued staring at the ruins below. "What if this is like one of my brother's virtual reality games?" he suggested. "Your body stays in one place, the pod, but your virtual body can go just about anywhere within the game."

"But which are we then?" Shayera asked. "Are we the bodies in the pod or the virtual versions?"

"Well," Mokuba said, "in the games, there's usually a save point or something where the player can go to save their progress and log out without losing any data. Since that thing was here when we got here," he said pointing down at the ruins, "why don't we start there?"

"It's worth a try," Diana said, darting down to take a look.

The others were not far behind. They landed in what appeared to be an open forum surrounded by crumbling columns. The stone was ancient, cracked, and a strange mix of dark and light colors swirling around each other in no particular order. Sand swirled around their feet, gathering in piles between the cracks and against the columns and ragged edges. It was dead in every sense of the word.

Green Lantern lowered his green globe allowing Mokuba to hop down onto the stone floor. "Don't wander off," he warned. "We need to stick together right now."

"I know, I know," Mokuba said, rolling his eyes. "I'm not a kid, you know."

"Right," Lantern said, letting the sarcasm in his voice say what he did not have to.

Mokuba tossed a glare over his shoulder and walked over to a column. He ran his fingers over the stone and again had the feeling of wrongness. There was something off about this place, he knew it.

"Alright," Shayera said, resting her hands on her hips. "We're here. Now what?" She glanced at Mokuba. "Any bright ideas?"

The Keeper scratched his head in confusion. "I don't know," he admitted. "I'm really kind of winging this whole thing." He paused and stared at his hand for a moment, then his eyes widened in shock. "What if…" He looked up at the group, eyes round and uncertain. "So, this may sound strange but humor me," he said.

"Okay," Lantern said slowly. "I'm listening."

J'onn stiffened, his amber eyes suddenly huge and afraid. "No," he breathed. "I can't let you do this," he said sternly.

"It works in the virtual world, why not here?" Mokuba argued.

"What works?" Diana asked, unsure if she really wanted to know the answer.

"If you can't stop playing a game for any reason, dying usually does the trick." Mokuba said. He quickly waved his hands, staving off any arguments. "Hear me out! I'm not saying we kill ourselves or anything but it's an option."

"An option none of us is willing to take," J'onn said resolutely. "I will not allow it."

"Then what do you suggest?" Mokuba asked in exasperation.

"Going on the video game analogy," Lantern said, "why not knock ourselves out? No harm no foul."

"If it works, we wake up like in a bad dream," Shayera said, nodding. She fingered her mace unconsciously.

"I can do that," J'onn offered. "Perhaps if one of us manages to wake up, they can wake the rest of us."

"Meanwhile, if this is the real world, we'll all be here when the person wakes up," Shayera said. "I volunteer." She removed her helmet mask and folded her wings.

Mokuba watched the adults with mixed interest and anxiety. He did not want anyone to get hurt, but he also did not want to leave Helios alone in here. He wanted to get back to his brother most of all. But in order to do that, he had to get out of here, preferably with Helios.

He shook his head and in doing so noticed the moonlight butterfly fluttering near the edge of the sandy sea. Curious, he walked carefully over to the tiny shikigami. It moved further away and he followed after it until they reached the edge of the ruins where the sand lapped against the stone like waves on a beach. The tiny butterfly landed lightly on the moving sand, flying away when a small wave threatened to crush it, then landing on the surface again.

"Here?" Mokuba asked, kneeling on the ledge.

The butterfly continued to land, take off, and land in the same spot. It was obvious the tiny thing had found something. Hopefully it was the person they were looking for. Mokuba reached out and scooped up a handful of sand from the wave, watching in awe as the hole slowly filled back up. He tossed the sand aside and began digging in earnest.

Something was buried here. Unfortunately, Mokuba's effort seemed to be as useless as scooping water from the sea. He refused to give up.

"Helios?" he called. "Helios, hang on. We're coming."

"Mokuba."

The boy jumped at his name and turned around to see the Manhunter hovering over his shoulder. "You should not have left us," the alien said. Mokuba sighed and turned back to the sand with a sigh. "Shayera is unconscious and we are-"

"I know," Mokuba said when J'onn fell silent. "But something's here," Mokuba said. "The Tsukuyomi's butterfly says so. Can you help me dig?" he asked, turning around again.

He stood up in shock when he realized J'onn was gone. He looked back to the forum and saw the others gone as well. "Hello?" he called, making his way cautiously back to the center of the ruins. "Guys? Where are you? Did you wake up?" he asked.

Still no answer.

Mokuba gulped. "Maybe they woke up," he said. "Maybe that means we'll find Helios, right, little shikigami?" He looked over his shoulder and paled.

The little butterfly was nowhere to be seen. The soft glow of moonlight was gone as was the warmth and companionship it offered. There were no signs of anyone ever being here. There was only Mokuba, the ruins, and the infinite sands.

"Guys?" Mokuba called again, louder this time.

He could not hear the scrape of the sand as it rubbed against the stone.

"Guys!" he cried, his voice sounding distant as if through a tunnel.

The wind no longer howled. He could feel it whipping around his face and see it blowing the sand but he could not hear it like he knew he should.

"Hello!"

Again, his voice was softer even though he knew he was screaming as loudly as he could. It sounded like just the barest hint of a whisper.

"Hello!" he cried again.

Or his lips formed the word and the air rushed from his lungs to give the word sound, but he heard nothing.

Hello. Was anyone there?

No sound at all now. There was no sound, so life, no hope. He could not even distinguish his own thoughts through the depressing silence.

He shivered in the unfelt cold. He blinked wide eyes when he was suddenly staring at the endless deep blue sky. He could no longer feel the stone beneath him or hear the sounds around him. Slowly, so painfully slowly, his vision locked on the sky, unable to look away.

He could not hear.

He could not feel.

He could not move.

He merely existed.

This was a prison where no god ever escaped.

Now he knew why.

Why.

Why did he come here?

Helios.

He had to get Helios.

But he could not find him.

He had to get back to his brother.

But he could not move.

He could do nothing but exist. He was afraid. Afraid of this unlife.

Was this what Helios was feeling? Was this his punishment?

He shivered but did not move.

He had to wake up. This was a dream. It had to be. It was the only thing that made sense.

He was scared. He wanted his brother. He wanted Seto. Seto would help. Seto always knew what to do.

Seto had told him to find Helios. He could not break Seto's confidence like that. Seto trusted him to do this. That meant Seto knew he could do it.

Seto trusted him. Mokuba couldn't break that trust.

He could not.

Besides, he was not Greek. Tartarus was a prison for gods, yes, but more specifically, it was a prison for Greek gods. The Titans.

Mokuba was not a Titan nor was he Greek by any means. That meant Tartarus had no right to imprison him like this. It was out of Tartarus's jurisdiction. It could be considered an attack on the Egyptian pantheon which would warrant a response of equal magnitude. Although knowing Seto as well as Mokuba did, there would hardly be anything "equal" about it. Seto may be the Balance but he had a serious case of enacting overwhelming vengeance on his enemies.

That thought warmed Mokuba's heart. The sensation startled him. The deep blue sky suddenly burst into overwhelming clarity as did the howling wind and individual grains of itchy sand blowing over him. The cool stone beneath his back was uncomfortable but incredibly welcome.

Unfortunately, his body did not react as well to the abrupt return of its senses. Mokuba had about two seconds to realize what was going to happen and roll over to his side before his stomach heaved. Everything he had eaten within the past twenty-four hours easy was now spilled on the stone floor.

Hands grabbed him, holding his body up and his hair back. Loud voices spoke to fast to understand. The influx of sound, touch, and sight was overwhelming. He had to fight the urge to scream. He did cover his ears, however.

"Stop!" he cried.

He balked at the sound of his own voice. It was not as loud as he had meant it to be. It had come out a soft whisper but sounded like screaming. It hurt his ears. He was adjusting to the return of sound, but not fast enough.

Thankfully, the voices faded to soft whispers that did not hurt his ears. He lifted his eyes and saw the Manhunter kneeling in front of him, watching him with a worried expression on his alien face.

 _:Are you well?:_ J'onn's mental voice asked gently.

Mokuba winced at the intrusion but nodded slowly. "Yeah," he said softly. "I'm okay."

"What happened?"

Mokuba turned to Hawkgirl who was kneeling by his side. She had been the one to hold back his hair when he vomited.

"You became catatonic," she explained, keeping her voice low. "We didn't know what happened." The Tsukuyomi's butterfly flew between her and Mokuba and her expression eased. "It wouldn't leave you," she said, her gaze following the butterfly.

"I think it likes you," Lantern said, leaning over J'onn's shoulder and offering the boy an indulgent smile.

Mokuba hesitantly returned the smile. "I think," he began. He paused to figure out how to explain what he wanted to say. "I think Tartarus tried to imprison me," he said.

"But you escaped," Wonder Woman said from her place on Mokuba's other side. Her eyes were concerned and confused.

"I..." Mokuba licked his lips thoughtfully. "I'm not Greek."

J'onn nodded slowly. "Yes," he said. "I heard your thoughts as you began to wake up. They were jumbled and fractured, but I remember that."

Mokuba nodded. He glanced down at his vomit, grimacing at the scent and sight. He tried to stand and was immediately helped up by Green Lantern.

"You okay kid?" Lantern asked gently.

"Yeah," Mokuba said. "Just a little... What is the word for confused?"

"Confused?" Lantern offered mildly.

"Disoriented," J'onn said.

"Yeah," Mokuba said, gesturing to the Manhunter. "That. I lost all my senses," he said leaning on Lantern. "I couldn't move or see or hear or feel or anything."

"Sensory deprivation," Hawkgirl said coldly. "That's a cruel punishment on par with solitary confinement." She studied Mokuba thoughtfully. "I'm assuming you escaped because you aren't Greek."

"It's possible Tartarus can't hold gods from other pantheons prisoner," Diana suggested.

Mokuba shook his head. "It can," he said. "I just won't because anyone not a Greek god is out if its jurisdiction."

"And we're back to the whole jurisdiction issue again," Hawkgirl said, mildly annoyed. "It seems to be a whole lot more complicated than we first thought."

"It's politics," Diana said sardonically. "It's always more complicated than it seems."

Lantern chortled. "You got that right," he said shaking his head. "You feeling better?" he asked the boy in his arms. "We're back to a normal volume and it doesn't seem to be bothering you."

Mokuba shook his head. "I'm okay now. I just have a headache." He grimaced and scratched his head.

It was then that he noticed the tiny moonlight butterfly hovering over the same patch of sand it had been earlier before this fiasco began. He squirmed out of Green Lantern's arms and hurried over to the spot again.

"There's something here," he said. His hands began scooping out sand trying to dig up whatever the butterfly sensed. "It's what I was looking at before I went under."

"What is it?" Diana asked as she knelt next to Mokuba.

"Don't know," the boy replied. "But the Tsukuyomi's guide thinks its important. It could be Helios."

Diana started digging with Mokuba. Shayera and J'onn joined in and Green Lantern used his ring to help. The sandy waves crashed over the stone rubble and withdrew. The trough created between waves was deep, bringing the sand too far out of reach of the diggers. Lantern used his ring to create a huge shovel which scooped up a huge amount of sand and tossed it aside.

The little butterfly flew down to the bottom of the trough and landed on the sand there. J'onn immediately flew down into the trough. As the next wave of sand approached, he lessened his molecular structure so the sand passed through him. He sank down below the heaving sand and reached out for whatever the Tsukuyomi's shikigami sensed.

The wave passed leaving him in the middle of another trough. That was when he noticed something pale amidst the dark, golden sand. He solidified his hand, grabbed the pale object, and pulled. The pale thing was a limp hand. The arm extended down further under the sand.

As the next sand wave overtook them, J'onn kept his hand solid and gripped the pale hand tightly. He waited through the wave until the next trough. He used the opportunity to pull. He needed more force.

"Lantern," he called up to his friends. He raised his hand in entreaty. "Hawkgirl, I need your help."

Wonder Woman stood and drew her lasso. She tossed the loop down so it encircled J'onn's upheld wrist and tugged the knot tight. The Thanagarian and Green Lantern took flight as and together with Diana, pulled on the lasso until J'onn slowly emerged from the sandy sea.

Mokuba watched, hope filling his chest as the form J'onn had with him slowly surfaced. The pale hand became a white sleeved shirt which became the snowy haired youth Mokuba had come to know well over the past year.

"Helios!" he cried. "Helios wake up. Helios!"

"He cannot hear you," J'onn called.

A shadow towered over him as another sand wave crashed over him. Or it would have had it not smashed against a green energy wall that blossomed into existence from Lantern's ring of power.

The Manhunter nodded his thanks as he and his insensate cargo finally rose from the sand into the sky. Once free of the sand's grip, he flew up to the stone rubble under his own power.

"Helios!" Mokuba called, hurrying over to J'onn as the alien landed.

"He cannot hear you," J'onn said again. He knelt and lay Helios down on the stone floor, placing a hand on the Titan's forehead. "He can no longer see, hear, or feel anything. His mind is..." He winced, his eyes narrowing in both pain and sympathy. "He is lost."

"Will he recover?" Wonder Woman asked as she looped her lasso back onto her belt.

Her dark blue eyes stared at the fallen Titan. Helios lay unmoving on his back staring blankly up at the deep blue sky. His pupils were blown wide not reacting to light. He did not seem to perceive the Justice League's presence. Touch did not elicit any kind of response. Strangely, tears leaked from the Titan's eyes. Wherever he was, it was clearly not a place he enjoyed.

Diana fought down a shudder. Seeing someone as powerful as she knew Helios to be so weak and vulnerable made her strangely uncomfortable. It just did not seem right for such a thing to happen. The sun was a steady fixture in the sky. Seeing Helios like this made her wonder how the sun was handling the imprisonment of its Titan representation. It was a disturbing thought.

"I believe so," J'onn said after a moment of consideration. "It will take time. But he has not been here long."

"That we know of," Diana warned. "We don't know if time flows the same way here as it does in our world."

"True," J'onn admitted. "Nevertheless, I believe he will recover. The first few days will likely be difficult." He raised his eyes to meet Mokuba's gaze. "Judging by your reactions, I would keep him away from stimulation unless he actively seeks it out."

Mokuba nodded. "Seto and I can help with that," he said confidently.

"Now for how to get out of here," Lantern said.

Diana stood and scanned the area once more. After a moment, she glimpsed something that made her pale. "Whatever we do, we need to do it fast," she said quickly. "Look."

She pointed to the far end of the rubble island. When the others looked there as well, they too disliked what they saw.

"It's sinking," Shayera said.

"We can fly," Lantern said. He looked back down at the catatonic Titan and flightless Mokuba and sighed. "But they can't. And we can't fly forever."

"The Tsukuyomi said he wouldn't be unable to help us leave," J'onn said, gathering the limp, unresponsive form of Helios in his arms as he stood. "We are on our own now."

"Unless Kaiba can convince Zeus to get us out of here," Lantern said, creating a half sphere for Mokuba to climb in and ride with them. "Or any of you have any bright ideas. I'm all ears."

Diana narrowed her eyes at the oncoming sand tide. She could not think of anything.


	44. The Brilliance of Women

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the brilliance of women solves all problems, prisoners are freed, deals are made, and exhaustion is the price.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** I'm so sorry for the long delay in posting this. Spring semester is finally over so I'm attempting to update all my fics over the next few days.

Zeus glared at Set but it was Hera who spoke. “What do you mean my son is a fake?” she demanded.

“You’re the god of motherhood,” Set sniped. “You tell me.”

Hera narrowed her eyes but focused on Ares standing in front of her. He seemed bewildered and out of his element, unsure of his position at the moment. But there was more, there was something else. It felt strange, foreign. It did not belong. It was not of Olympus. Ares may not be her son by birth, but he had become her son by heart. She was the goddess of motherhood. She knew her children.

“Mother?” Ares called hesitantly.

Hera knew. This was not Ares. “That is not my son,” she said, her voice soft in surprise. She leveled a vicious glare at Set. “That is not my son,” she said furiously. “What have you done with my boy?” she demanded.

Set had the audacity to smirk and shrug haphazardly. “Nothing,” he said. “Just showed him his father’s true colors and gave him the freedom to act on his urges. Isn’t that right Ares?”

He waved his hand and the darkness behind the accursed Egyptian god of chaos swirled away revealing her son. This was her son, her Ares. But there was something…

“What have you done to him?” she demanded, standing and making her way down the dais towards her son.

Set sneered. “I’m offering you your son in return for Helios,” he said simply. “You take from me, I take from you,” his gaze hardened cruelly, “tenfold.”

Hera studied Set with newfound interest. Set may be young by her standards but he knew how to deal and gain the upper hand. She was impressed despite herself. Impressed and wary. “State your price,” she said.

“You have no right-”

“Oh for Cronus sake, shut up Zeus,” Hera snapped, turning to her husband. “Or I swear by your father’s nonexistent grave, I will hold you down and have a boulder dropped on your bloated ego.”

Zeus flushed furiously and thunder boomed. “You dare-?”

“I’ve done it before and I’ll do it again dearest,” Hera quipped easily, eyes frigid with hate. “This is my son. This is my domain. Do not dare to step on my domain or I will make sure you’re incapable of sticking your tiny dick in anything larger than a thumbnail for the remainder of this century and half of the next. Don’t think I won’t,” she added with a threatening lift of her finger.

Zeus fumed but even he knew better than to cross his wife when Hera was on a mission of motherhood. He remembered Hades and Athena pushing the boulder on top of him while Hera held him down. Hera was much more powerful than she often let on. Hell indeed hath no fury like a woman scorned or a mother protecting her children.

Satisfied she had her husband under control for the time being, Hera turned back to Set and her son. She cast a hateful glance at the thing that dared wear her son’s form. “Remove that abomination from my sight,” she commanded.

Set shrugged and held out a playing card. “Return Cloning,” he said.

The thing pretending to be her son lost all expression before vanishing in a swirl of colors and darkness which swept into the card Set held. The Egyptian god returned the card to a holster at his side and crossed his arms. “I take it, you’ll be taking my deal,” he said smugly.

Hera glared at him. “I demand you release my son from whatever curse you have on him,” she said. “I will inspect him myself to be sure he is free. Only then will I parlay.”

Set nodded and held up a hand in front of Ares’ face. He snapped and Ares jolted sharply, blinking in confusion. His now clear eyes swept across the scene in front of him trying to comprehend what was going on when he noticed Hera watching him.

“Mother?” he called hesitantly.

Hera sighed. This was her son. This was her Ares. She turned her attention back to Set. “I’m listening,” she said.

Ares followed his mother’s gaze and blinked at Set standing next to him in shock. “You!” he gasped.

Set ignored him. “Return Helios to my protection and I’ll return Ares to you,” Set said.

Hera met Set’s stare evenly. “What guarantee do I have that you won’t trick me?” she asked shrewdly. “You are a god of chaos,” she said, glancing at the Unseelie King standing nearby and grinning. “Your kind is known for being slippery.”

“You have the promise of the entire Egyptian pantheon,” Set said.

He turned his clear blue gaze to a shadowy person standing nearby. Hera studied the dark person who held Set’s attention with interest. She could sense a power dynamic here and it interested her. Better to know your enemies and allies well. They’re more predictable that way.

The darkness hiding the unknown person’s form melted away revealing a young man with dark tan skin, blood red eyes, and hair that was unusual to say the least. She felt a dark power rolling off of this person like one of Poseidon’s waves.

“And who might you be?” she enjoined.

“You may call me Yami,” the man said, eyeing her with respect. This soothed Hera’s ruffled feathers somewhat but did nothing to ease her fury. “However,” the man continued, “I believe you would be more familiar with my old name, a name I bear with my partner Yugi.”

He gestured to his left and the darkness retreated once more revealing a person almost identical to this Yami. The differences between the two were the skin tone, eye color, and general feel. This new person had pale skin, eyes like violets in full bloom, and felt softer.

Had Hera been younger, she would have assumed this new youth to be the weaker of the two. But she was an old and experienced goddess. This Yugi was the deceitful softness of a silk scarf wrapped around a razor sharp dagger. Out of the two, she would have to watch her steps around Yugi.

“And what name would that be?” she asked, returning her gaze to the one called Yami.

Yami grinned. “Atem, though the more common pronunciation these days would be Atum.”

There was a rumble of surprise which was not confined to her own pantheon, Hera noticed with interest. She lifted an eyebrow and met Yami’s gaze evenly. Atem, or Atum, was the first of the Egyptian gods. Atem was the creator of the Egyptian pantheon and, if myth held true, their ultimate destruction as well as the destruction of the world as it was before recreating it anew.

“Are you the head of your pantheon?” Hera asked calmly.

It was Yugi who replied. “We and the one you call Set are the human heads, yes.”

“Human heads?” Athena asked, speaking up out of curiosity. “Implying there are others above you?”

“There are indeed,” Yami said. “They are listening to us as we speak.”

“Then why do they not show themselves?” Ares asked curtly.

“Because they don’t speak like we do,” Yugi said, giving Ares a look that was hard to interpret.

“There is one who does speak as we do,” Set said. “She is the most powerful and the absolute head of our pantheon.”

Hera demurred. “So,” she purred. “Your leader is a woman.”

“Yes,” Yami replied with an answering grin.

Hera hummed, pleased with this new turn of events. She looked back at Set considering. “I will retrieve Helios for you,” she said. “But I want my son back first.”

“There were others who were wi-” Yami cut off when a blinding light blasted up from the ground shattering the Field Spell yanking a cry from one of the people from the Egyptian pantheon still hidden from Hera’s sight by the darkness.

The light blazed, overwhelming Hera’s senses. She flinched, instinctively closing her eyes and turning her away from the column of light. She only dared look back when she felt a presence similar to her own brush her mind.

There, at the very center of the light was the beautiful form of a woman. Her skin glowed radiantly, for she was the source of the pure, untainted light. Her form was tall and slender with broad shoulders. Almost every inch of her was covered in shining gold armor that shamed sunlight in its brightness. An Egyptian ankh, the symbol of immortality, rested just below her breastplate and above her waistline. A long cloth of the purest white, accented by glittering gold hung from her waist to her feet. Golden armored wings spread proudly from her back, for this goddess ruled the skies in all its vast infinity. Her headdress was that of a great gold armored collar with the double crown of Upper and Lower Egypt of old upon her head framed by a pair of golden winglets. Gold designs sparkled on pure skin just below her depthless golden eyes and upon her brow rested the Eye of Ra rested.

Endless golden eye stared into Hera’s soul and the Olympian goddess of motherhood, marriage, childbirth, and women knew she had nothing to fear from this goddess. Hera may not know this woman’s name, but she knew a goddess of life when she saw one. This goddess was Hera’s equal, the highest and most powerful goddess of her pantheon. For this reason, Hera was allowed to look upon this goddess’s radiance without fear.

Hera looked around her was fascinated to see the Egyptian pantheon no longer hidden by the darkness. In fact, except for the shadows cast by the Egyptians, there was no darkness. Not only that, but the members of the Egyptian pantheon were all bowing respectfully, heads pressed to the ground with the sole exception of the two who were Atem and Set. They were on their knees as if forced there by a powet greater than their own and gazed up at the wondrous goddess of light with wide, awestruck eyes.

Their forms had changed to, Hera noticed. The three human heads of the Egyptians pantheon no longer wore clothes commonly worn by the humans of this age. Instead, they wore clothes reminiscent of the country of their pantheon’s origin.

The dark half of Atem wore a long white shendyt which was pleated and gathered in the front. A dark royal purple sash tied around his waist, the excess dangling freely down over his shendyt. A gold belt clasped over the purple sash matching the gold collar, arm bands, and coronet emblazoned with the Eye of Ra. A violet cape hung freely from a golden cuff shaped like a wing on his right shoulder, draping over his bare back.

The lighter half of Atem wore short white tunic with a blue sash tied around his waist, the excess hanging between his legs. He too wore a gold collar and golden belt. Arm bands clasped firmly over his wrists and upper arms. He wore a long purple cape which wrapped around his neck and was pinned to his left shoulder by a golden cuff identical to the one worn by Atem’s dark half. He too wore a coronet of gold with the Eye of Ra resting on his forehead.

Set contrasted starkly from the two halves of Atem. His form flickered as if another person occupied the same space as he. He wore a blue tunic that split from his waist down the sides. A gold sash bound a white shendyt under the blue tails from his tunic, covering his legs to his ankles. The white fabric split down the side seams from mid-thigh to his ankles for freedom of movement. The blue was perhaps a shade or so darker than Set’s eyes which gleamed with an unholy light, challenging the brilliance of the shining goddess. His collar was shaped like great wings, outspread in full flight over his collarbone. Blue beads decorated the inner circle of the collar brushing Set’s neck. Gold bands clasped his upper arms and spiraled up his forearms almost to his elbows. Gold cuffs clung to his shoulders as Set struggled against an invisible force attempting to pull him into a deeper bow.

Where his human counterparts knelt on both knees, Set only knelt on one knee. The other was bent as if trying to stand back up but unable to rise any further. Set’s unusual blue eyes glowed fiercely, resisting the brilliant goddess’s power. He was a god of chaos. This goddess may be his ultimate superior but he would never absolutely submit to her. No god of chaos was ever truly mastered by another. Chaos was something primordial, an equal and opposite reaction to order, ever present.

Because Hera was looking at him, she was the first to see Set’s eyes widen in disbelief. He stretched out his hand towards the light and called out a name Hera did not recognize but the tone was something she did know. She was a mother after all. Every mother knew the desperate cry for their child.

“Mokuba!”

Set’s cry shattered the silence Hera hadn’t noticed had befallen Olympus. Instantly, the brilliant goddess vanished, taking with her the pure, all-encompassing light, and the godly forms of Set and Atem. In her place was a boy no taller than her hip circled by a dazed Justice League holding the limp form of Helios the Titan. It was an unusual sight to be sure, but Hera’s interest rested with the boy. The moment the light vanished, the boy burst into a smile and bolted across the expanse and leaping into Set’s open arms.

The moment the boy latched himself onto Set’s body, Set wrapped his arms around the small frame and buried his face in a mop messy black hair. Hera hummed thoughtfully.

“You have retrieved Helios on your own, I see,” she said, startling the council. No one replied, still unnerved by the spectacle they had just witnessed. Set, however, raised his gaze to hers, the blue sparking with challenge. “Your demands have been met,” Hera continued. “Helios is yours to protect until such time as he chooses to return to us, his rightful pantheon. Now, return my son to me.”

Set stood keeping one hand on the boy’s shoulder and gestured for Ares to approach his mother. “As agreed,” he said. “I retract my demand for vengeance.”

“Then leave,” Hera commanded.

“I will.” He grinned like a serpent eyeing helpless prey. “After my allies’ demands have been met.”

“We still demand Ares be punished for interfering with our pantheon,” the Tsukuyomi said, appearing generally unmoved. If his eyes were somewhat wider and sharper, then no one mentioned it.

“He will be punished,” Hera said firmly. “You have my word as a goddess.”

The Tsukuyomi tilted his head slightly, gazing at her quietly. The Susanoo leaned over and whispered something in his brother’s ear. The Tsukuyomi blinked, turning his gaze to the Susanoo thoughtfully before nodding. “I accept your word,” he said. “However, we of the Japanese pantheon here make this vow. As of now, should the one called Ares ever set foot on our land or interfere with our own again, we shall punish him as we see fit. Do you hear and understand?”

Hera nodded. "I hear and understand,” she intoned.

The Tsukuyomi bowed respectfully to the Greek goddess of marriage and motherhood, ending their exchange.

“As for what has been done to my brother,” Selene said, stepping forward. “I will settle for Ares being turned over to the Justice League to serve his sentence under their law for his offenses against the mortals.”

Hera’s eyes narrowed but she nodded in acquiescence. “That is agreeable,” she said.

“Mother?!” Ares gasped, finally able to speak.

Hera held up a hand to silence him. “You wish not to be treated as a child? Then you will be treated as an adult,” she said. “Adults pay for their mistakes. You are an adult, therefore you will pay for your mistakes like one.” She pointed to Ares’ wrists and iron shackles appeared, binding his hands. “You will go with the Justice League and serve your sentence. Hopefully, when you return, you will have learned not to interfere with other pantheons. Every action has a consequence. It’s about time you learned that the hard way.”

“You can’t-”

“Zeus,” Hera said sharply, “I love you, but I warn you: Ares takes after you and if I have to teach you about consequences right here and now, I will. Do not test me.”

The absurd sound of cackling drew the attention of everyone present, including that of Hera’s very short temper. “Holly King,” she said in clipped tones, “if you insist on laughing like a fool, you will be expelled from this council.”

“Oh please,” the Unseelie King said, waving away her words as if they were nothing but a gentle spring breeze. “You’re going to dismiss us anyway so why threaten me with that? Besides, that was fun.”

“Fun?” a still very shaken Green Arrow murmured, staring at the unbothered faerie disturbed.

“I like you,” Dionysus said, leaning forward from his couch. He lifted his newly refilled glass of wine. “Drink with me sometime?”

Arawn chuckled. “I accept your offer. Though, I’m afraid we’ll have to wait on the specifics at the moment. Punishments and consequences and all that. You understand,” he said with a playful wink.

“Oh naturally,” Dionysus agreed.

“Idiots,” Set scoffed, his face a mask of annoyance. Hera could not help but agree with the sentiment.

“In that case,” Hera said, “you’re all dismissed.”

Instantly, everyone present who was not an Olympian vanished from Olympus, reappearing in a glade at the base of the mountain.

“Well,” said Green Lantern, the first person who dared to speak. “That was…something.”

Lantern’s eyes were round, filled with the memory of a goddess whose brilliance rivaled the sun at noon. The sentiment was shared with everyone present, including Ares who shuffled his feet in frustration.

“So that was Ra-Horakhty,” Hawkgirl murmured, her voice soft with awe. “Her wings are blessed by the heavens.”

Mokuba smiled, muffling his laughter with his hand. "Yeah,” he said. “She’s kind of overwhelming. But she’s helpful in a pinch.”

All eyes turned to Mokuba, including Kaiba’s. Mokuba ignored everyone except his big brother. He gazed up at Seto’s eyes and held out his hands. “Let’s go home, nii-sama,” he said.

Seto sighed and picked Mokuba up so small legs latched securely around his waist. He teetered slightly before righting himself, but few except for a particularly astute pair of inhuman carmine eyes noticed the slip in control.

“Dude,” Jounouchi said. “Sorry to burst the bubble here, but uh… Your house was blasted bro.”

Kaiba froze, then groaned. For a moment, his entire form slumped in exhaustion; then he stood tall once more, determination in his eyes. “Damn,” he muttered.

“Well then,” Arawn chimed in, smiling easily despite the situation. “I guess you’ll be staying with me for the night.”

“It wouldn’t be any trouble,” Pwyll said, offering a small smile in apology for Arawn’s behavior. “I can guarantee you will be undisturbed for as long as you wish.”

Kaiba shook his head. “I’m fine,” he said.

“Actually,” Yami said, “I think we’ll take you up on that, if you wouldn’t mind.”

Pwyll nodded. “Perhaps we can help Helios as well,” he said, turning his gaze to the still catatonic Titan.

Selene nodded. “I would be grateful for any help you can offer,” she said.

Endymion stepped up to J’onn and held out his hands. “I’ll take him,” he said. “Get Ares out of here before I punch him.”

Selene pressed her lips together to keep from smiling.

“Then it’s settled,” Arawn said. “Off with you mortals,” he said, waving away the Justice League. “I can hear your friends hollering through your earpieces from here.”

The superheroes had the grace to blush before preparing to leave. “You’ll explain what happened later, I take it,” Green Lantern said, watching the gods carefully.

“Yes, yes, whatever, now off with you,” Arawn said, making a ‘shoo-shoo’ motion with his hands. “Just a little longer,” he whispered seriously in Kaiba’s ear. “Hold on a little longer.”

Kaiba bit his inner cheek and straightened his stance, clutching Mokuba to him. He felt his little brother give him a curious look but ignored it in favor of watching the Justice League depart. “Kohai,” he called, catching Arrow’s attention. “Rest well.”

“You too,” Arrow said seriously. Kaiba could tell the vigilante was aware of Kaiba’s exhaustion, but he was eternally grateful it wasn’t broadcast to everyone. Kaiba had his pride after all.

“Now then,” Arawn said. “My lords Atem,” he said to Yugi and Yami, “my fellow god of chaos and brother,” he said to Kaiba and Mokuba, “Selene and party,” he said the Titaness and her husband, “to the Otherworld we go. The rest of you are on your own.” He made a dismissive gesture and everyone he named vanished.

“Oh for fuck’s sake!” Bakura exclaimed. “Thanks for nothing asshole. You couldn’t even send us to Egypt could you? Leaving us alone in Greece of all places. Fuck your sparkly, faerie ass.”

“And you say I’m bad,” Marik muttered earning him a snort from Ryou.


	45. Otherworld

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the Otherworld is not what anyone expected, the monarchy makes a deal with the devil, Jounouchi drops in, and the world is unwritten.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** I'm so sorry for the delay. I had most of this written for a while but a combination of health, work, and dislike of what I'd written prevented me from posting this earlier. I'm still not 100% convinced this chapter is the way I wnated it to be, but it'll do. I'll edit it later. It's already past 1:30am and I have work tomorrow.

He didn't realize he was leaning until a steady hand held him securely upright. The sudden grip startled him back to attention. He blinked away the exhaustion he was feeling and adjusted Mokuba higher on his hip. The effects of the golden apple must be wearing off. He had to stay awake. If he slept, he would very likely slip into a soul sleep which was nigh on impossible to be woken from.

He had to get Kisara back from the Bastard. Now that Mokuba was back where he belonged and Helios was back under his protection, Kisara was his next mission. Once she was safely back within his grasp, then and only then would he allow himself to sleep. But now that he had her human form in his grasp, he needed to see her face in front of him. He needed to hear her voice, to feel her touch, to taste her lips. He would be damned if he let her slip through his fingers again.

The Otherworld was a strange place. It was just familiar enough to give him a sense of deja vu but strange enough to set his nerves on edge. There was a sense of unrealism to the atmosphere and Kaiba would swear the scenery changed when he wasn't looking directly at it. It was disturbing.

"Welcome to the Isle of Avalon," Arawn said, gesturing grandly to something directly behind the group.

They turned around and even Kaiba would admit he was impressed. A large, white spire gleamed in the sunlight surrounded by three concentric white stone walls. Greenery in the form of trees and weeping vines spilled over the walls like the water flowing along the stone at designated locations similar to aqueducts.

"This is...Avalon?" Yugi breathed. He felt Yami's awe feed into his mind as his other half slipped his hand into his own, weaving their fingers together. "It's beautiful."

"It is indeed," Yami agreed wholeheartedly. "I don't think I have ever seen anything like it before."

Arawn shrugged but the proud smile belayed his casual manner. It was Pwyll who spoke, however. "Avalon is shared by the Seelie and Unseelie Courts as a sort of neutral zone," he said, approaching the outermost wall of Avalon. The wall towered above the little group, soaring towards the sky. The doors were swung open, welcoming the travelers into its boundaries. "Our actual Courts are elsewhere," Pwyll continued, "and not necessary hospitable to those who are not members of that particular Court except on special occasions."

Arawn nodded, stuffing his hands into his pockets as he kept pace with Kaiba, careful not to make any outward sign of concern. "The outer circle is mainly orchards and crops," he said, as they walked down the cobbled road towards the door in the second stone wall ahead. On either side were apple trees. Not just any apple trees, these were-

"Golden apples!" Mokuba exclaimed, pointing to the golden fruit dangling from the leafing branches. "Nii-sama look!"

"I see," Kaiba murmured, staring at the trees as his mind raced. "Why are you taking us this way?" he said sharply, studying Arawn beside him with no little suspician.

The Unseelie King shrugged in an offhanded manner. "No reason," he said. However, the toothy grin he sported told another story.

Kaiba narrowed his eyes dangerously but Pwyll spoke before Kaiba could. "This is the main entrance to Avalon," the Seelie King said in a placating manner. "We would have taken you this way anyway. We-"

"Pwyll!"

The Seelie's eyes widened and he whirled to face the path ahead of them with a glowing smile, arms outspread to welcome a rush of red, white, and gold. The figure of a woman with long, red hair streaming behind her and riding a powerful white horse charged down the cobble stone road towards them. Her gown, cut up the sides so she could sit comfortably on the horse's back, was a muted gold that caught the light of the sun.

"Rhiannon!" Pwyll called, speeding across the expanse to meet the woman halfway. He held up his arms for her to fall into his embrace. His delighted smile as he held her close and spun her around joyfully was unsullied by the tension from a few minutes before.

Arawn sighed dramatically. "Honestly," he groaned in mock annoyance, "you'd think they haven't seen each other in ages."

"Who is she?" Kaiba asked, feeling his curiosity prick.

"Rhiannon," Selene answered, placing her hand on her brother's brow. Helios still rested in Endymion's arms, eyes closed and his breathing slow and even. "She is the Celtic goddess of inspiration and the moon as well as the wife of the Seelie King Pwyll Pen Annwn." She flicked her gray eyes to the Egyptian pantheon thoughtfully. "It was to her that Endymion and I fled begging asylum."

"Pwyll can't resist Rhiannon," Endymion said, his loving gaze resting on his own wife. "A sentiment I understand well." Selene gave him an adoring smile which brought a gentle flush to the once-mortal's face.

It was infuriating. "Whatever," Kaiba snapped. He forced his legs to move, carrying him somewhat unsteadily forward. "Arawn," he said curtly, earning him an interested glance from the Unseelie. "You said you would offer us a place to rest. So move your ass."

"Kaiba!" Yugi exclaimed, shocked by his Regent's rudeness.

Arawn, however, snorted and turned on his heel waving for them to follow. "Yes, yes," he drawled. "This way. See you in the tower lover boy," he called to Pwyll. "Sleep well tonight." He winked at Rhiannon who tossed him a grinned and climbed back onto her steed, startling the new arrivals by physically hauling Pwyll up in front of her.

"Oh believe me," she said, her voice strong and proud. "He won't sleep tonight. Perhaps tomorrow I will allow him such luxury, but not tonight." With that, she galloped back to the tower to the sound of Arawn's mad cackles.

* * *

 

Kaiba placed one foot in front of the other with a single-minded focus he usually only experienced during a Duel. His eyes were having trouble focusing and his eyelids drooped, heavy with sleep. Only the sudden hand on his shoulder jolted him back to as close to full wakefulness as he could get. He glanced to the side and saw Arawn guiding him forward. Though he would never admit it out loud, he was grateful for the aid.

"Here," the Holly King said, stepping into an average sized room filled with two beds. An ornately carved wooden door swung open in the cool breeze leading out to a large, open terrace beyond. "My lords Atem, Kaiba, and Mokuba I believe your name is," Arawn said. "I had these beds prepared for you. I assume two to a bed won't be a problem."

"It won't be, no," Yugi said, nodding graciously to their host. "Thank you for this."

"Lay Helios on the couch outside," Arawn said to Selene and Endymion. He pointed to a stone bench with cushions on the surface. "I believe the sunlight will help your brother recover more quickly than anything we could conjure."

"Thank you," Selene said, taking Arawn's hand and allowing him to kiss her knuckles. "You have done much for us. We owe you a debt."

"Don't worry your pretty face about that," Arawn said, dropping the Titaness's hand. "Heal your brother first."

He waited until the silver haired goddess and her consort stepped outside before turning his gaze to Kaiba who had refused to sit on the bed. Mokuba had climbed down from his brother's arms and was bouncing on the mattress, testing it out to his satisfaction. Kaiba, however, simply gazed at Arawn with a stern expression.

"I'm not interested in rest," Kaiba said. The Fae's red eyes narrowed, calculating his Egyptian counterpart as Kaiba continued. "What is your price for another apple?"

"Kaiba!" Yami hissed. "You need to rest."

"Not until Kisara is back where she belongs," the Regent snarled viciously tossing a heated glare at the Pharaoh. "Besides," he said, turning his glacial eyes to Arawn's burning red, "I have a debt to repay. I want to see the Bastard bleed."

The smirk on the Holly King's face darkened to something more dangerous. "I don't give out our apples freely," he said, resting his hands on his hips. "You already owe me a favor for the first one. What could you possibly give me that's worth a second?"

Kaiba ground his teeth together, scrambling to get his sleep deprived mind to think of something worth trading. "What do you want?" he spat furiously.

"We can go after the Bastard later, Kaiba," Yugi said, trying to defuse the situation. "You need to sleep. You've depleted your reserves. Your body can't withstand much more abuse before it will force you to sleep."

 _:He's right, my Ka,:_ Seth whispered.

 _:Butt out, Seth,:_ Kaiba growled, feeling a headache coming on.

Arawn snickered. "Very well," he said. "I'll make you a deal. I'll give you another of our prized golden apples. I'll even give you a bigger one than before. On one condition."

"And that would be?"

"You give me your true name," Arawn said, stepping closer so he stood nose to nose with his counterpart.

Kaiba's brow furrowed in confused frustration. "I don't know what it is," he hissed.

"And even if he did, we wouldn't allow him to give it to you," Yami said in a cold voice.

"Oh he knows it," Arawn said softly, staring Kaiba directly in the eye, daring him to deny it. "He simply doesn't know he knows."

Yami and Yugi exchanged a look before the King spoke with some reluctance. "We'll take the price for the trade," Yugi said, startling the Holly King. When red eyes similar to his other self's turned to him, Yugi heaved a sigh of defeat. "Yami and I will owe you a favor. Just..."

Yugi glanced at Kaiba and could clearly see the way his Regent was listing dangerously forward in his losing battle with sleep. The sight reminded him of the memories he experienced when he returned to his body after Yami rescued him from the Seal of Oricalcos. In his mind's eye, he could see Yami running his body into the ground, refusing to sleep in his hunt for Yugi until sheer exhaustion knocked him out. He could feel the lingering guilt and shame ripple into his mind through his link with his other half and squeezed Yami's hand comfortingly, regaining his confidence.

"Just give it to him," he said. "Yami and I will owe you whatever favor you wish. But I would like to add my own condition to the deal."

The Holly King lifted an eyebrow. "I'm intrigued," he said. "Not that you're in much of a position to add your own conditions, I have to admit I am curious. Do tell. What is your condition?"

"Bring Jounouchi here as well," Yugi said.

"What?!" Kaiba gasped in disbelief. "Why do you want the mutt here?"

"Because his dragon was taken as well," Yami said, meeting Kaiba's gaze evenly. He grinned. "Did you really think we were going to let you go chasing after the Bastard on your own? He shot my aibou and stole my Knight's Red Eyes Black Dragon. We have just as much right to hunt the Bastard down as you do."

Kaiba's gaze softened, but only just. He glanced at Arawn who was rubbing his chin in thought. The Fae glanced outside where Selene sat next to her brother, Endymion standing guard behind her. Eventually, the Unseelie huffed a laugh.

"Very well," he said. "I accept, but only if Mokuba remains here." He raised his hand to forestall the inevitable resistance. "You have my word that he will be well protected," he said seriously. "No harm will come to him in Avalon. Besides," he looked back to where the Titans rested on the stone terrace beyond, "I believe his presence would be beneficial to Helios' healing."

"You know," Mokuba said drawing everyone's eyes, "I'm right here. Don't talk about me like I'm not here." He met his big brother's tired eyes and smiled. "Don't worry, nii-sama," he said with a reassuring smile. "I can keep an eye on Helios. He is under your protection still, right? Then I can be on guard duty." He grinned widely giving his brother a thumbs up. "I got this."

Kaiba's shoulders drooped. "Fine," he said with obvious reluctance. He glared at the Fae. "Give me the apple."

Arawn snorted and pulled a large golden apple from his pocket surprising the Egyptians.

"You anticipated this?" Kaiba gasped in surprised fury.

The Holly King chortled. "I'm old, Kaiba," he said. "You are young by my standards. While I won't say you're predictable, you have certain tells that I'm learning to pick up on. Also," his grin gentled the slightest bit, "you and Pwyll are not the only ones with lovers. I too know what it's like to be unable to touch one's true love for a long time." He tossed the apple to Kaiba who fumbled for it due to his tiredness. "Eat it now," he commanded. "It will last much longer than the last one."

He waited until Kaiba did as he commanded before straightening his shoulders. "And now, as agreed, I'll drag your little mutt back here. Then you can be on your way to wherever it is you need to go."

He lifted his hand and snapped his fingers. Instantly, Jounouchi flailed into existence, landing face first on the stone floor.

"Man, what the hell?" the blonde grumbled, rubbing his nose as he sat up. "Yug'! Hey man." He pushed himself up and waved to his friend before glaring at Arawn. "You stupid ass Faerie," he shot at the Holly King. "If you were gonna drag me 'ere anyway, why'd you leave me behind in the first place, asshole?"

Arawn threw back his head and laughed at the graceless entrance when the door behind him burst open revealing a rumpled Pwyll and Rhiannon.

"Arawn!" Pwyll cried, falling against his friend's chest, his nails digging into the Holly King's black coat. The Unseelie stumbled back, stunned by his old friend's terrified expression.

"Pwyll?" he said, grasping the Seelie King's shoulders and holding him up. "What are you doing? What's wrong with you?"

Pwyll just shook his head. "Nevermind that," he pleaded. "Outside. Look outside!"

"Wha-"

"Outside!" Pwyll cried, shuddering and groaning as if in agony. Rhiannon pulled her husband from Arawn, holding him close, preventing him from running.

Bewildered by his friend's unusual manner, the Unseelie King stepped outside and looked around. Nothing seemed unusual or out of place. "I don't see-"

But then he did see and his eyes grew round in horrified awe. A twinge of pain needled his chest and his pale fingers brushed the spot subconsciously. His eyes never left the awful view in front of him. He vaguely heard Selene call out to him but he couldn't make out the words though he could guess their intent. It was the same question he was asking himself.

"By the Caldron, what is happening?" he whispered.

The world was coming apart. Literally. There, to the south where the Seelie Court resided, surrounded by trees and open fields filled with mounds and the sea beyond, ash rose into the sky. But there were no flames. The light was sickly as if the sun itself was fading.

To the north, in the craggy, snow covered mountains, carved from a glacier, was the Unseelie Court. It too was disappearing into ash. The pain in his chest grew in intensity until he cluthed his chest and doubled over in agony. He was the Unseelie King and as such was tied to his Court, just as Pwyll, as the Seelie King, was tied to the Seelie Court.

The Seelie and Unseelie Courts were disintegrating. Something was destroying them. No, it was unmaking them, unwriting them, removing them from ever existing. Arawn couldn't explain it. This should be impossible. The Otherworld was tied to the existence of the Earth itself. Nothing should be able to do this except the end of the world. But that would just be an end, not an unmaking. This was...

"How?" He shuddered.

"Arawn!" Rhiannon yelled, shaking him out of his trance. "See to your people," she commanded. "I will see to mine and my husband's. You cannot die. You must ensure you live until the Wheel turns in your favor. Stay with Pwyll."

Arawn nodded, swallowing around his dry mouth. He held out his arms for Rhiannon to hand him Pwyll, his knees almost giving under the weight.

"You!" Rhiannon commanded to Endymion, taking charge. "Protect them with your lives. Let no one near them. They must survive or the Otherworld will go with them."

"As you command," Endymion said, drawing his sword. He stood be the Fae Kings, ready to defend those who offered his family asylum and friendship.

"What's happening?" Jounouchi voice called followed by a collective gasp from his companions. "What the hell is this?"

"Rhiannon!" a young man dressed in leather and fur cried. His short brown hair was cut messily and his dark violet eyes were determined and steady. Following close behind him was a young woman who bore a striking resemblance to the young man. "What is happening? Where is-"

"Arawn!" the young woman screamed, hiking up her skirt and racing to the Unseelie King's side.

"King Pwyll!" the young man exclaimed.

"The world is coming apart, Arthur," Rhiannon said, easing Arawn into the young woman's embrace. Rhiannon's moss green eyes were cold and strong as she regarded the young woman. "Primula," she said.

The young woman lifted her amethyst eyes to Rhiannon and nodded, lifting her staff. "Nothing will reach us," Primula swore. "I'll die first."

"Sister!" Arthur gasped.

"What is going on?" Yami demanded, staring at the disintegrating world around him.

"Something is unmaking this place," Rhiannon said.

"It's not just the Otherworld," Arthur said, startling the others. "It's happening on Earth as well. Something is unwriting the world." The fear returned to his eyes. "Queen Rhiannon, what is this?"

Kaiba suddenly gave a heartbreaking cry, clutching his head and falling to his knees. "Kisara!"

Yugi opened his mouth to ask what was wrong when he too felt a tug on his power, starting when he recognized it as the summoning of Jounouchi's Red Eyes Black Dragon. But how? Where?

"Red Eyes!" Jounouchi cried.

"It isn't here," Yami murmured. "This is..."

"In another reality," Yugi finished, eyes wide with shock.

"You know what's causing this?" Arthur demanded.

"No," Yami said. "But we may be able to find its source."

"You Bastard!" Kaiba roared. "I will _murder_ you!"

"Jounouchi," Yugi called. "Kaiba. Take my hand." He waited until he had both of his friends' hands clasped in his. "Kaiba," he said, "I know you're tired but please help me. Follow my lead. I think I know where to go."

Kaiba grit his teeth but nodded and allowed his power to join Yugi's. Beside him, Jounouchi added his power to the King's as well. Together, their magic pooled and the Shadows devoured them. Kaiba gasped as the sensation of falling enveloped him, replaced by the weightlessness of the Shadows.

He followed the King's lead, feeling the Pharaoh nearby guiding them as they travelled down through the Shadows the same way he had when he'd gone to the other reality. He wanted to demand what the hell was going on, but then he felt Kisara's energy growing closer. Determined, he added the full force of his strength to Yugi's, speeding up their progress only to be stunned by the sudden bright, healthy sunlight.


	46. The First Light of Hope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the first light of hope sputters to life, maybe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** I feel I should warn y'all. There is death and torture and feels in this chapter. This is not the end of the fic by any means, but all things must get worse before they get better. Just fair warning. There will be a happy ending to this story, I promise. There has to be for the third installment to happen. ^_~

The world they crashed into was literally crumbling around them, but not due to unmaking. This was caused by something else, something more deliberate and calculated. Yugi recognized the familiar roar fill the air, shaking him to the core. The accompanying scream from his Regent cemented what he knew in his heart to be true. The Blue Eyes White Dragon was attacking under another's command.

The Balance shifted when Kaiba dragged every ounce of power available to him as it returned to him courtesy of the golden apple and ran ahead. Yugi followed close behind, stumbling only when his sight blurred and he suddenly felt top-heavy and dizzy. He fell on all fours gasping and struggling to regain his sense of direction. He felt Yami fall to his knees next to him from the same disorientation.

He could barely make out Jounouchi's voice over the hubbub. It had an unusual, echo-like quality to it as if it came from a tunnel. He could feel a power that was and was not the Shadows yank on his Light just as a blast of energy blinded him. Screams from people filled his ears as he staggered back to his feet only to be overwhelmed by a crowd of terrified people and swept away. It was either that or have his legs give out on him and be crushed under the people's feet when he fell.

He opened his eyes and realized he couldn't see Jounouchi or Kaiba. Instead, his gaze was filled with a darkening shadow stretching across the ground overhead. He looked up and saw the source of the destruction: dragons. Great dragons he knew to be Shadow Monsters dove through the air firing bursts of energy at buildings and the humans below. Why? Why were they doing this?

"Stop!" he screamed, trying desperately to be heard over the noise. "Stop this please! Why are you doing this?"

A flash of blazing blue tinted white caught the sunlight and Yugi felt his heart drop. The Blue Eyes White Dragon, Kaiba's beloved Blue Eyes White Dragon, opened her mouth and a stream of white destruction obliterated his sight before he could cry out in terror.

* * *

 

Kaiba immediately lifted his eyes to the skies when the Shadows released him and gasped. Kisara was there in all her terrible beauty, but she was not under his control. He could feel her terror and despair as she was forced to fire streams of blazing energy at anything and everything that moved. Humans fell before her power, buildings crumbled under her claws, windows shattered at her scream. She was wild, she was power, and she was a prisoner on a chain of a master she hated.

Her panic flooded his senses until he could no longer tell where her thoughts ended and his began. He was drowning. Seth floundered under the onslaught in Kaiba's mind, grasping at his Ka's consciousness and attempting to wrest it back into control. Both Kaiba and Seth were spiraling into Kisara like a small boat captured in a maelstrom. There was nothing they could do. Nothing.

"Grandpa!"

_King!_

They tore their eyes from their enslaved lover and saw a very distinct haircut flailing in a horde of panicked humans. A flash of silver in the corner of their eye drew their attention follow by a surge of emotions which roiled within them when they identified the source. Maximillion Pegasus.

Darkness blocked out the sunlight and they looked up, horror dawning when they saw the side of a building falling to the ground. There was no time to save themselves, Yugi, _and_ Pegasus. They could only save one. They had to choose. There was no choice.

"Yugi!" they cried racing towards their King.

Violet eyes turned to theirs, widening in recognition. Yugi stretched out his hand, pleading for help. They didn't stop to grab it. There was no time. Instead, they ran, crashing full force into their young king, braced, and pushed little Yugi back out of the crowd and out of reach of the falling building.

" _Swords of Revealing Light!_ " they shouted, hoping the Spell would activate before the building crushed the young King.

Only when they finally saw the unholy gleam of the completed Millennium Puzzle dangling from this Yugi's neck as the boy flew back from the force of their impact, did they realize their mistake. This wasn't their King. This wasn't their Yugi. They had spent precious breath and energy saving the wrong person. They had just enough time to feel shock followed by the painful simultaneous loss of the Light and Dark before _pain!_

Then nothing.

* * *

 

Jounouchi fell to his knees and cried out in dismay when the Light vanished leaving him behind, lost, alone, and terrified. Yugi was dead. He was there - _right there!_ \- then gone the very next instant. If Yugi was gone, so was the Pharaoh which meant the Dark was gone too. The Balance should offer some sort of anchor, but it too vanished mere moments after the Dark and the Light. That could only mean Kaiba was dead as well.

They were all gone. The entire Inner Court was dead. Gone. Erased. The Shadows raged in dreadful fright along his senses, furious and weeping. They were lost without their monarchy. Jounouchi could hear Ra screeching in distress. It burned his Shadow sensitive nerves. He felt himself ripping apart under the power he was never meant to fully embrace. It was melting his mind. He couldn't be the Light. He was just the Knight. It was too much. _Too much._

* * *

 

Ishizu clutched her head and shrieked. Her eyes were blind to the world around her. She could only see death and devestation and unraveling and unmaking. Cobalt blue that only Kaiba could ever fully comprehend thundered into her body and soul with the force of a thousand storms. She felt lost and weak, her soul fluttering over the abyss searching for that which was lost. The Balance was gone. Her Regent was gone. Dead.

The Shadows demanded she be their new Balance but she could not be. She was only the Priestess. She wasn't strong enough. She never could be strong enough. This power, this electrifying weight of anguish from Obelisk was killing her.

It was _killing_ her _._

* * *

 

Marik gasped, suddenly finding his breath hard to catch. It felt like oozing black sludge had decided to take up residence in his lungs. His blood thrummed in his veins and his skin felt simultaneously cold and hot to the touch. He felt leaden and solid like a statue of obsidian. The Shadows all but devoured him, scraping at his consciousness like fingernails on a chalkboard. It grated and possessed and swirled into an eddy of oblivion.

The Pharaoh was dead and with him went the Dark and very likely the Light. The Balance was also gone, dead. There was no more monarchy and the Shadows were terrified, lashing out at the leader de facto of every Triad hoping to find a replacement. They would find none for no one was meant to handle the sheer tidal wave of power the Shadows embodied. None but the now dead monarchy.

Definitely not the unstable Priest.

Still, Marik felt Osiris' roar shake him body and soul, the raw Darkness consuming him. At this rate, it would drive him insane. Or worse. Around him and within him was death. The Shadow Realm was dying and was taking the world of Earth with it in its final thrashing fight against unmaking.

It _lost_.

* * *

 

He knew the moment his big brother perished. The sudden loss of the reasurring presence he never realized had always been there left Mokuba feeling nothing. There was nothing to feel. All around him the world went up in ash, destroyed before it could be saved. Unwritten, never written, never lived, never had the chance to be lived. The Shadows vanished as their home, the Shadow Realm, ceased to be. 

The familiar warmth of Ra-Horakhty, the Creator God of Light herself, faded with nary a whisper. There was nothing. There never had been anything. Just a void. As it was in the beginning. Mokuba never was, never had been, and _never would be_.

* * *

 

Yugi blinked awake covering in dust and very certain one or more of his ribs were at least fractured if not broken. It hurt to move, to breathe. What had happened? An earthquake?

He pushed himself up and looked around. It was eerily quiet except for the distant wailing of sirens. Muffled moans and cries wafted up through the debris of crushed building littered with shards of glass, steel beams, cement blocks, body parts...

Body parts.

Yugi's chest seized in shock, causing him to double over, clutching his side and coughing from the pain. The convention had been attacked. No one had a chance. The enemy had been dragons, Duel Monsters. He remembered seeing Kaiba's Blue Eyes and even Jounouchi's Red Eyes among other dragons that weren't familiar assaulting the defenseless attendees. He and his grandpa had tried to run away but...

Grandpa. Where was his grandpa?

"Grandpa?" he called, tentatively crawling forward through the mess.

Somehow he'd managed to land in a relatively open area in the epicenter of the devastation around him. It was as if something had formed a perfect circle around him, protecting him from the worst of the rubble. He fought past a growing headache to try to recall what had happened just before he lost consciousness.

He'd been trying to get to his grandpa but they'd been separated by the sea of bodies. Someone had called his name. But not just anyone: Kaiba Seto. Why was Kaiba here? He wasn't supposed to attend the event until the afternoon to make sure all of the temporary Duel Stages were working properly. But Yugi distinctly remembered Kaiba calling his name, running to him, pushing him, and screaming the strangest thing right before a golden light filled his vision and he struck his head on something.

_"Swords of Revealing Light!"_

Why would Kaiba say that? Unless...

Yugi tensed. Had Kaiba-disbelieving-resistant-to-magic-dismissive-of-all-that-was-mystical-Seto actually cast a spell?

He shook his head in disbelief and in doing so noticed something that made his heart freeze in his chest. A tattered piece of black fabric fluttered in a sickly breeze. It was his grandpa's lucky bandana.

"No," he breathed, crawling across the debris, heedless of his injury, and picked up the scrap of cloth. It was his indeed grandpa's. Yugi lifted his eyes and beheld the wreckage before him where he'd found the bandana. All that was left of a great steel and glass office building was a pile of stone, twisted metal, and broken glass. His grandpa was under there somewhere.

Tears pooled in his eyes. "Grandpa?" he called softly, the faintest hope withering away in his soul.

He felt his other self reach out to his mind from his Puzzle, and clung to it, needing to small comfort it offered. "Grandpa?" he called again, louder this time.

He slowly got to his feet, swaying unsteadily. Eventually, he grabbed a metal pipe sticking out of the ground to keep himself balanced and clutched his aching side, squeezing his eyes shut until he'd caught his breath. Easing his eyes open, he wished he would never see ever again. There, lying on his stomach and staring out at Yugi's feet through the dust, his back impaled by a metal beam and his legs crushed by cement, was Kaiba Seto.

"Kaiba?" Yugi gasped.

 _:Aibou?:_ he heard Yami whisper in his mind, the spirit groggily waking up as well. Yami rose to share Yugi's eyes, unsure of what to expect.

Yugi felt the spirit recoil, stunned by the death of his greatest rival, and weep from the death of the man who was his grandpa in every sense that mattered. Yugi, moved by his own emotions, the sights he never wished to see ever again, and the freely expressed sadness of Yami, gave a cry that sounded less like something a human could ever utter yet carried so many human emotions in it as to be disturbing to anyone who might have heard.

Anyone, that is, except for whoever was laughing. Startled by the sound that most certainly did not fit the situation at hand, Yugi lifted his tear-filled gaze to the top of one of the nearest piles of rubble. Standing tall and proud was a man with long blonde hair and wearing clothes that were outlandish in style. However, the mask worn over the person's face was what seared into the young duelist's memory forever. It was white and purple in a geometric design. Thin mesh covered the eye slits allowed the wearer to see through but no one to see in.

"At last," the person said, his proud voice carrying victoriously on the weak breeze. "I did it. It took some doing but Duel Monsters is finally no more and the Shadow Realm is destroyed. It's finally over."

"You?" Yugi murmured, staring at the strange person in dawning horror. "You did this?"

Dust from the remains, both human and otherwise, choked off his throat sending him into a coughing fit that irritated his badly aching ribs. He must have attracted the stranger's attention because before he could recover his control, calloused fingers gripped his chin and jerked his head up. All he could see was the purple and white geometric print of the terrorist's mask. He instinctively gasped as if to scream only to collapse back into a fit of coughing once more.

"Impossible," the terrorist muttered, disbelief coloring his distorted words. "I killed you. I shot you myself. You should be dead!"

He jerked his hand effectively tossing Yugi to the ground. The boy landed on his stomach in just the right position for the Millennium Puzzle to dig into his side, thankfully not his already injured side. The jab did however make his diaphragm instinctively seize causing Yugi to gasp. His body trembled as it attempted to come to terms with the trauma it was suffering.

 _:Aibou!:_ Yami cried, his ghostly form materializing next to Yugi, arms hovering protectively over his dearest friend and partner. _:Aibou let me take control,:_ he pleaded. _:Please. Let me help.:_

"No," Yugi coughed, cradling his Puzzle in his hands. "You're all I have left." Another tear slipped down his face as he squeezed his eyes closed, shutting out the calamity surrounding him. _:I can't lose you too,:_ he said, his mental voice trembling with fear and loss.

 _:Aibou,:_ Yami whispered, his heart breaking. He was at a loss of what to do.

"I shot you!" the terrorist raged. He stalked forward and kicked Yugi over so the boy lay sprawled on his back. "I watched you fall to the ground with my bullet in your chest. I _killed_ you! You _can't_ be here. How are you here?!" He knelt, took a fistful of Yugi's shirt in his left hand, and furiously yanked the boy up. "I did my research," he hissed. "I know you're the King. I know about the Pharaoh-"

Both Yami and Yugi gasped.

"-and your Regent," the terrorist continued, oblivious of Yami and Yugi's discomfiture.

 _:Regent?:_ Yugi wondered amidst his fear.

"I know you rule the Shadow Realm," the terrorist continued. "I knew if I killed you, then those accursed _things_ would be destroyed. I even made sure the bastard creator of this ridiculous madness died as well. So why are you still _alive?!_ "

The Millennium Puzzle clinked when it slipped from its wearer's chest to the ground below when the terrorist shook Yugi violently. The sound caught the terrorist's attention and he stilled. Yugi felt the gaze he could not see through the mask studying the reversed Egyptian pyramid he wore around his neck and wanted badly to hold it in his own two hands to protect it from something so evil.

"Oh, I see," the terrorist purred.

Yugi shuddered, hearing the voice caress him like a silk scarf sliding around his neck just seconds before snapping it. Yami embraced his partner's consciousness with his own, hoping his presence would give Yugi the comfort he desperately needed. Yami refused to take over Yugi's mind unless he had absolutely no other choice. He had no desire to revert back to those days when he almost killed Kaiba in a duel in Duelist Kingdom.

"You're not the King," the terrorist said. He was definitely smiling behind that hateful mask, Yami could feel it. "You're this world's Yugi Motou." Laughter was returning to the terrorist's voice striking renewed fear in Yugi's heart. "The little boy-King of Games."

Yugi thudded to the ground with a broken cry when the hand holding him up let go abruptly. The terrorist threw his head back, cackling madly.

"Oh what luck the universe has given me this day," he crowed victoriously. "I killed you once from a distance, but now I can kill you again with my own two hands and there's nothing your little pet spirit can do to save you."

"You're mad!" Yami snapped, taking control when Yugi was too distracted by his pain to defend himself. He pulled his borrowed body back across the ground away from his assailant, wanting to put as much distance between himself and this crazed individual as possible. Unfortunately, the stinging pain from Yugi's ribs warned him not to do that again. The strain was too much for them to take right now.

"Well, well, if it isn't the infamous Pharaoh himself come to greet me in person," the terrorist said gleefully. He bent over in a mocking bow. "Greetings, oh long dead monster," he said. "Come out to watch as I murder your little puppet body?"

"As if I'd let you hurt Yugi," Yami hissed. If this madman knew he was separate from Yugi, then he had no reason to pretend otherwise. "Why are you doing this?"

"Because you destroyed my future," the terrorist barked hatefully. "I thought it only fitting I destroy yours, especially if it saves mine."

"What are you talking about? We've done nothing to you. We don't even _know_ you," Yami argued. Yugi blinked back to awareness and Yami shared his vision and hearing with his dearest partner.

"Of course you don't," the terrorist said, waving his hand dismissively. "You're not important. I killed the version of you that was important. Although," he paused and turned his masked gaze to the rubble where Kaiba's dead body still lay half buried and covered in blood and dust, "it took some doing to kill him, I must admit. Damn rascal kept evading me. Did you know he can cast illusions of himself?"

"You mean holograms?" Yami asked, sensing Yugi's curiosity joining his own.

The masked terrorist snorted. "Don't be stupid," he spat. "The Regent has enough power to destroy the world if he wanted to. Why else do you think I had to kill him? He _is_  Chaos, just as the version of you that actually mattered was Unmaking and the version of your pretty puppet-boy was Creation. Naturally you had to be obliterated as well, but I think I succeeded in doing that when I murdered your precious Yugi." He laughed at Yami's snarl of fury. "Calm down, little spirit," the terrorist said, placing a foot firmly on Yami's chest and pinning him to the ground. The pressure applied exactly over his fractured ribs was just enough to wrench a tormented scream from both Yami and Yugi. "You and this world's Yugi will be joining your dead alternates," the terrorist said. "Just to be sure, of course."

Yugi could just imagine the euphoric grin that must be plastered on the madman's face under that damnable mask.

"No hard feelings," the terrorist chirped happily, steadily increasing the pressure on Yugi's injury.

Just before Yami was sure his precious partner's ribs would give way, crushing a lung or worse, a roar that resembled a song deafened him and a burst of crimson blinded him. He felt his partner's body be enveloped in a burning crimson and together he and Yugi were swept away in a sea of color only to be tossed unceremoniously to the ground in bright sunlight. Yugi's terror catapulted him back to the forefront of his mind just as his body slammed against a metal railing. He shrieked when his ribs finally gave in under the continued abuse and cracked in two.

Yugi grabbed one of the metal rods of the railing within reach and did his best to gingerly haul himself up to a more stable position. The stabbing throb in his side causing his lungs to hitch and his eyes to clench shut. He grit his teeth and carefully moved his body so his knees were securely under him. It took a good few seconds for the tension to release enough for his breathing to ease. Sweat dripped from his brow as he leaned against the railing. Finally, he opened his pain glazed eyes, only to loose what breath he had left.

He was on a rooftop overlooking a square filled with a stage, small duel platforms, speakers, cosplayers, and duelists. There was no destruction, no dragons in the sky, no dead bodies, and no crazy person taking credit for the disaster.

Yugi's mouth fell open on shock. "What the..."

 _:Hell?:_ Yami finished in Yugi's mind, just as stunned as his Aibou.


	47. Irresistible Force Paradox

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which an unstoppable force hits an immovable object; or in this case, three unmovable objects.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** I got so excited about writing the last chapter, that I literally started writing this one immediately after posting chapter 46. I just couldn't stop. I delayed posting it though because... Well, I'm evil. ^_^ If you have any questions about the title or content as far as the deaths or timelines from last chapter and this one, just ask and I'll do my best to answer.
> 
>  **The Irresistible Force Paradox:** What would happen if an unstoppable force hit an immoveable object?

"Hey! You alright?"

Yugi whirled, immediately regretting the sudden movement when his ribs stung. He had to be careful. He could still breathe even if it was with difficulty. It was a sheer stroke of luck that his lung hadn't been punctured, but there was no guarantee his luck would hold out.

"Woah, easy there bro."

Yugi winced when hands much smaller than the crazed terrorist's gripped his shoulders. He looked up and was curious to find two new faces in front of him. Both people were young and male. One had a mop of brown hair and friendly brown eyes that twinkled with energy. The other had black hair streaked with blonde that was spiked up much like Yugi's own hair. The black haired young man also had gold tattoos on his face and dark purple eyes. They were darker than Yugi's own violet and perhaps a bit harder too. Both boys also had duel disks clipped to their left arms that were unlike any Yugi had ever seen before.

"Who are you?" Yugi asked, pressing a hand to his side, hoping the pressure would ease the ache. It didn't do much.

"I'm Yuki Judai," the brunette said with an attitude that was much too bouncy for Yugi to fully appreciate at the moment. 

"And I'm Fudo Yusei," the taller black haired young man said. "Are you alright? Are you hurt?"

"Yeah," Judai said, staring at the place Yugi was gingerly holding. "You don't look too good. The landing wasn't that great, I'll admit, but you look a lot worse than us."

Yugi bit his lip. "Broke a rib," he said, leaning back against the metal railing. "Maybe two. I'll be fine." He glanced back over his shoulder at the merriment below in confusion. "What happened? I remember the dragons. They just attacked and grandpa..." Yugi fought back hot tears, he couldn't let himself cry. Sobbing would just aggravate his injury. "And Kaiba and-"

"Kaiba?" Yusei and Judai gasped.

"As in Kaiba Seto?" Judai continued. "I go to his Duelist Academy. Was he down there too? He wasn't listed among the dead in the article."

"What?" Yugi asked, turning back to the two other boys in growing frustration. "How could what happened be in the newspaper? It only just happened." He hesitated. "Right?"

Yusei sighed, his shoulder slumping. "Actually yes and no," he said. "For us and you, yes it has already happened. But for them down there," he said, nodding to the oblivious throng of con attendees below, "it hasn't yet. It should be about a half hour before the event I think. Or at least, that's what the Crimson Dragon was aiming for."

"Crimson Dragon?" Yugi rubbed his sweaty face with his free hand. "Someone please explain what's going on. I'm not really in the best shape for this right now."

"Right, sorry," Yusei said with an apologetic smile. "We're from the future."

Yugi's head snapped up then dropped back against the railing, giving up trying to make sense of this mess. "Alright, fine," he said in defeat. "If you're really from the future then why-"

"Some crazy dude started stealing dragons from our friends," Judai said, his eyes cold and angry.

"He stole my Stardust Dragon," Yusei lamented, bowing his head. "He started dueling me, I summoned Stardust, and he just... took him straight from my hand." He pulled out a blank card from his pocket and held it out to Yugi. "This is Stardust Dragon's card," he said. "When he stole Stardust, he used a completely blank card. It looked like that blank card just absorbed Stardust right into it. It was...weird." He winced, pressing a hand over his heart. "It felt like my heart had been ripped from my chest still beating."

Yugi knew the feeling. He had experienced something similar when he took off the Puzzle these days. He cradled his precious Puzzle with his free hand, feeling a rush of warm devotion from the spirit locked with its golden confines.

"Was one of the dragons that _terrorist_ ," he spat the word like a curse, "forced to attack us, your Stardust Dragon?"

Yusei bowed his head in shame, unshed tears glistening in his eyes. "Yeah." He clenched the hand resting on his chest into a fist. "I felt him be summoned. It felt like a part of me was breaking. Stardust was fighting it the whole time but..."

Yugi's gaze softened in sympathy and he placed his hand over Yusei's fist. "Hey," he said. "It's okay. We'll get your Stardust back." He offered the black haired duelist a gentle smile. "I know the pain of having a beloved monster stolen from you. We'll help you get Stardust back. I promise."

 _:Indeed,:_ Yami echoed in Yugi's mind.

 _:Other me?:_ Yugi called. _:Are you alright?:_

Yami sighed indulgently. _:You're the one who's hurt. You should worry about yourself right now, not me. I'm already dead.:_ The spirit grimaced in Yugi's mind's eye. _:Sort of anyway.:_

"Whatever that guy did messed up the timeline," Judai said grimly. "My entire world was literally going up in ash."

"So was mine," Yusei said.

"Our cards started going blank too. Oh!" Judai dug out his deck and held up his favorite card, letting out a relieved sigh when his monster reappeared. "Neos Knight! You're back!"

Yusei blinked and hurriedly dug out his own deck, shuffling through until he found the card he sought. His entire form slumped in defeat when he found the Stardust Dragon card still blank. "Stardust is still gone," he lamented.

"Thank you for saving me," Yugi said, drawing Yusei's gaze. "He would have killed me if you hadn't gotten there in time." His brow furrowed as he recalled the terrorist's words. "It was the strangest thing. He said he'd already killed me before. He was actually shocked when he saw me alive." He met two pairs of surprised eyes watching him in rapt interest. "He said he shot me, that he watched me die. He said he'd tried to kill Kaiba too, but that Kaiba'd managed to avoid death until then."

The memory of his rival crushed and impaled by the remains of a building resurfaced in vivid detail and Yugi promptly pushed Yusei aside and threw up. Yami did his best to take the pain of the damaged ribs from Yugi, but they were both drained and twinges still leaked through. He was grateful for Yusei and Judai's helping hands holding back his hair and keeping him from toppling over in pain.

When he had nothing more to throw up, he wiped his mouth hating the taste of bile on his tongue. "Sorry 'bout that," he whispered, his voice cracking from the burning bile.

"Don't worry about it, bro," Judai said. "You must've seen something awful."

Yugi just nodded, afraid to open his mouth before he was absolutely certain doing so wouldn't bring on a new wave of nausea.

"My guess is the dude's gunning for Pegasus," Judai said thoughtfully. "I mean, the guy practically created Duel Monsters. He's supposed to be here at about 11:50, right?"

"According to that newspaper article, yeah," Yusei said nodding. "If Pegasus dies before he has the chance to create our cards, then that would explain why they went blank earlier."

"Good point," Judai said, eyes wide. "I hadn't thought about that."

"We need to get those people out of harm's way," Yusei said, standing and leaning over the railing. The crowd far below milled about, heedless of the oncoming danger. Yusei narrowed his eyes in the sunlight. "We can't let them get hurt."

Judai grinned, his eyes flashing a jewel toned red and green intriguing the spirit dwelling in Yugi's mind. "Don't worry about that," he said. "We got this."

"We?" Yugi asked, swallowing back his discomfort. He sat up straighter when a duel spirit of a female fiend appeared behind Judai. She met Yugi's eyes evenly, nodding respectfully when Yami also materialized in his own spirit form next to his partner.

"Yubel," Judai said, looking up to the duel spirit excitedly, "let's make a mess."

The spirit, Yubel Judai had called her, rolled her eyes like a tolerant mother although her lips twitched upwards in a smirk. "Naturally," was all she said.

Judai hopped up and ran to the stairwell door leading down to the ground floor leaving Yusei and Yugi behind. Yusei carefully helped the young King of Games up and together they made their way to the door. They would take the elevator instead of the stairwell. When they got to the ground floor, they walked out of the building only to see people running about after Yubel fired a minor blast of magic at the main stage that was more flash and bang than anything else.

"Run!" Judai hollered at the top of his lungs. "Get out of here quick! The ninjas are coming!"

"Ninjas?" Yugi asked, staring at Judai in amused bewilderment.

Judai shot the King of Games a cheesy grin and scratched his head. "I always wanted to say that," he said gleefully.

"Let's just hope this scares off Pegasus," Yugi said. "Although knowing him, he'll probably show up anyway just to save face."

"Yeah. As long as he lives, the future of Duel Monsters is safe," Yusei said.

"I think not," a voice that sent chills down Yugi's spine and ignited Yami's protective fury said.

A second later, a gleaming white motorcycle shot out of a portal in a nearby wall -a wall? What?- and skidded across the pavement until it came to a stop near the middle of the plaza where the convention was supposed to take place. Yugi felt Yami zero in on the rider with incredible focus, righteous fury rushing through their veins. This man had murdered Yugi's grandpa and Kaiba in the other timeline not to mention so many other innocents.

"You bastard!" Yugi cried. "We won't let you repeat the past. Just go back to wherever it is you came from."

"You said it," Judai said, crouching in a defensive position.

"Where I came from is exactly why I'm here," the terrorist in white said. "And you, like the disgusting Shadowmancer cockroach you are, just keep coming back. How many times do I have to kill you before you stay dead?"

"Kill Yugi?" Yusei gasped, taking a defensive stance of his own.

"Shadowmancer?" Judai said, sounding out the strange word. "What the heck is that?"

"It's what you are, genius," was the terrorist's snide reply. "What did you think you were using when you play Duel Monsters? That very power is what destroyed my world."

"We don't care about your backstory," Yugi growled. "There's never a good reason to murder innocent people."

"Innocent?" The terrorist threw his masked face back and cackled. "How mistaken you are, you filthy maggot. Your so-called 'innocents' let their Shadowmancy run out of control and left my world, your future in ruins! I had no choice but to fix the problem."

"Murder is still not a solution," Judai shouted, raising his fist. His mannerisms reminded Yugi fondly of his friend Jounouchi. He was immensely relieved his best friend wasn't coming to this event. At least Jounouchi would be safe.

"Is the death of a lab rat in an experiment called murder or a result?" the terrorist asked with an indifferent shrug.

"Are you implying we're lab rats to you?" Yusei said furiously. "Is that how you dismiss what you did to me, too? When you stole my Stardust Dragon?"

"Your Stardust Dragon is a very small part of my grand plan," the terrorist said, reaching up to remove his mask.

The face that was revealed was surprising handsome. The terrorist's skin was pale aside from a decorative red tattoo over his right eye. His most striking feature, however, was the color of his eyes. They were a strange yellow-green like pools of pollen swirling in puddles after a spring shower.

"I've made it my life's mission to undo the ruinous end my future met at the hands of you Shadowmancers," the unmasked madman said. "I've travelled through time and jumped from world to world before I figured out Shadowmancy grew from that Duel Monsters game you all treasure so much. Oh, the irony," he hissed.

"Did you know it was Shadowmancy that brought calamity to ancient Egypt?" the man asked mildly. "Did you know Shadowmancy was one of the darkest, most despicable powers in the multiverse?" He spat on the ground. "You have no respect for souls. You devour them like a squirrel devours nuts. You should be ashamed!"

"Dude," Judai said, "what the heck is Shadowmancy? You're not making any sense."

The man stared at the three duelists like _they_ were the ones who were insane. Then comprehension dawned and his smile became feral.

"Oh dear, oh dear. What is this?" he said with unholy glee. "You don't even know what kind of power it is that you wield. You're nothing but sheep being led to the slaughter. Too bad for you," he said, his face contorting in hate, "I won't let your soul-destroying ways drag the rest of the world to the slaughter with you."

 _:Shadowmancy?:_ the Pharaoh murmured in Yugi's mind.

"You're wrong!" Yugi cried, clutching his aching side from the effort of yelling. "We're trying to _save_ the world not destroy it. Unlike you."

That did not sit well with the terrorist. "Think about it!" he snapped. "All of your enemies used the very game you hold dear to attack you. They turned this Duel Monsters game into a weapon of mass destruction and you use the same weapon in return just compounding the problem. You're a bunch of murderous hypocrites and if I have to wipe all three of you from the face of every universe to finally be rid of the Shadow Realm, then I'll do it. It took some work, but I killed the Shadow monarchy thus destroying the Shadow Realm once before. Until you turned back time, that is," he said. "I can do it again just as easily now that I know how to do it."

"What the hell?" Judai said. "You're a raving lunatic."

"What monarchy?" Yusei demanded. "The Shadow Realm has no monarchy. It's just a realm of death and destruction."

Yugi straightened and spun to Yusei in surprise. "You really think that?" he asked.

"In my experience, nothing good ever comes from Shadow Games," Yusei said, his gaze steely. "It just brings insanity and death."

"I'll agree with you there," Judai said.

Yugi held his tongue, although he could feel Yami's distress from the declaration. Unfortunately, the terrorist also noticed Yugi's discomfort. He grinned, all teeth and hate.

"It seems not all of you agree with that sentiment, Yusei Fudo," the terrorist said calmly.

Yusei stiffened. "Wha? How on earth do you know my name?" he cried. "I don't remember introducing myself to the likes of you."

The terrorist scoffed. "I'm from a future far ahead of your own, you dimwit," he said. "I know all of you. Yusei Fudo, a master of the Duel Runner; Judai Yuki, the best student to ever attend Duelist Academy; and of course, Yugi Motou, the legendary King of Games himself. But does that title truly belong to you?" he drawled, a taunting sneer on his face. "Or does it actually belong to the spirit of the Nameless Pharaoh imprisoned in your Millennium Puzzle?"

"Nameless Pharaoh?" Judai gasped, turning to Yugi like the boy was a wild animal.

 _:Yes,:_ Yubel said in his mind. _:The Nameless Pharaoh is a master of the Shadows, the King of Games.:_ Her monochromatic gaze held no judgement when Judai turned to her. _:You need not fear him unless you mean harm to those he cares for.:_

"I see not all of you were aware of the evil in your midst," the terrorist said chuckling.

"He's not evil!" Yugi cried. "He saved my life and the lives of my friends on numerous occasions. He's my other self. Nothing you say or do will ever make me hate him."

 _:Aibou,:_ Yami murmured, allowing his pride and adoration for his dearest partner to engulf Yugi's mind. _:The same goes for you,:_ he said. _: **We** are the Kings of Games. No one can defeat us.:_

 _:No one,:_ Yugi agreed, swelling with pride. "If you want to destroy our world," Yugi said out loud, activating his duel disk, "then you'll have to go through me and the Pharaoh."

"He's not alone," Yusei said, activating his own duel disk.

"Last but definitely not least," Judai said, activating his own duel disk with an eager grin. "I always love a good duel."

The terrorist smirked. "Your very actions now just further enforce the fact that Duel Monsters is a weapon," he said. "You seek to stop me with it. Had it truly been just a game, then the outcome of our duel would have no meaning. However," he said, his grin replaced by a dark frown, "seeing as it is indeed more than just a game, I accept your challenge."

He activated his own duel disk mounted on his right arm. When the lights on the disk lit up, the white motorcycle the terrorist stood on jolted suddenly and began transforming, startling the three opposing duelists. Yusei tensed when he realized the motorcycle was actually a very advanced model of Duel Runner. This wouldn't be an easy duel. The mechanical arms that had previously been attached to the Duel Runner's white body, detached and spread out like awkwardly shaped wings. Then the Duel Runner rose into the air before coming to a stop a good fifteen feet above the ground where it hovered steadily.

"And since I was the one challenged, I'll make the first move," he said. He drew five cards from his deck with his left hand and placed a single card from his hand into the field spell slot of the duel disk on his right arm. "I activate the Field Spell _Malefic World_ ," he declared, a smirk revealing his teeth, "and start this Shadow Game."

"Shadow Game?" Yusei gasped, refusing to allow a shiver of fear be seen by his enemy.

"Yes," the terrorist said. "I'll show you how dangerous your Shadowmancy is by using your own weapon of choice against you. My name is Paradox," he announced. "Remember it well. For it will be the last name you curse before I kill you and finish my glorious experiment and save my future."

 _:Aibou,:_ Yami said.

 _:Yes, my other self,:_ Yugi replied.

 _:Let's do this together. We'll need both of our skills and wits about us for this duel,:_ the spirit said.

Yugi nodded, and drew his own hand of Duel Monsters cards. "Let's duel!" Yugi and Yami cried in one voice, and the Game began.

* * *

 

The world they crashed into was anything but the madness they left behind in the Otherworld. It was quiet, disconcertingly so.

"I don't like this," Jounouchi said, looking around him as if half expecting a monster to jump out at him.

Kaiba glared at the empty plaza before him. He could feel the Shadows here. They licked at his heels like frightened puppies seeking the safety and security of a trusted master. Next to him, Yugi and Yami were equally unnerved by the absence of people.

"This is the same world Yami and I went to to find Pegasus," Yugi explained, recognizing their location. "There was supposed to be a convention of some kind going on here today. There were lots of people here yesterday but Pegasus said today was the big day."

"Yes," the Pharaoh said, leaning close to his partner. "Apparently even this world's version of us were going to make an appearance today for the event."

Kaiba narrowed his eyes when he saw the distinctive 'KC' insignia of KaibaCorp emblazoned boldly on the electronic equipment and temporary Duel Stages equipped with his Solid Vision technology. He would never have left his expensive and highly desired technology out in the open with no one to watch over it.

"Then where is everybody?" he demanded coldly.

Yami and Yugi closed their eyes and joined hands, reaching out to the Shadows in the area. "There is a Shadow Game being played here," Yami said, opening his eyes in surprise.

Kaiba grunted in agreement. "I can sense at least three active Shadow users in the vicinity," he said. He strode out into the open coming to a stop at a particular stone slab on the ground. "One is standing here," he said before taking three steps to the left, "another here," three more steps to the left, "and the third here."

Yami hummed thoughtfully but it was Yugi who spoke. "They're likely in a Field Spell," he said. "That means whoever instigated the Game is strong. It takes a lot of power to sustain a Field Spell, especially while dueling."

Jounouchi crossed his arms, fingering his inactive duel disk on his left arm. "Great," he muttered. "We can't jus' waltz inta the middle of 'n active Shadow Game."

"Not without knowing who is the enemy and who is not, no," Yami agreed. He moved to Kaiba's side and concentrated on the Shadow user Kaiba assured him was there. He grinned. "This one is a Dark," he said proudly.

"Really?" Yugi ran to his other self's side, slipping his hand into Yami's as he concentrated on the invisible Shadow user who would have been standing where Kaiba stood now. "You're right," he said. Intrigued, Yugi bounded over to the the spot next to Kaiba, dragging Yami along with him. A bright smile lit up his face when he studied the Shadows around this user. "This one's a Light," he said delightedly.

"Nice," Jounouchi said, pumping a fist in the air. "Then lemme guess." He walked to where the last of the invisible Shadow users was supposed to be and smirked. "This one's a Balance."

But Kaiba shook his head. "No," he said firmly. "Anything but." He strode back to the place where Jounouchi stood. Had a Field Spell not been active, the spot would have been occupied by a visible human. "I'm having trouble identifying the Shadow orientation of this user," he said, his brow furrowed in fristration. "But it's definitely not Balance."

"Interesting," Yami said, considering the possibilities.

Yami watched Yugi move ahead of him to join Jounouchi and Kaiba in mild interest. However, the moment Yugi stepped foot in that spot, both he and Yami were overcome by an unexpected bout of disorientation. Yami staggered, pressing a hand to his forehead right as his Shadow-created skin became clammy and uncomfortable.

"Yug'!" he heard Jounouchi cry. "Buddy, you okay?"

"'M dizzy," Yugi mumbled, forcing the words over a numbing tongue.

Yugi couldn't find his feet, stumbling into a warm body he knew instinctually belonged to his Knight. His vision tunneled and he felt Yami return to his mind to help him reorient himself. His knees tingled, quivered, then gave way beneath him so he sank into his best friend's embrace.

"Yugi!" Kaiba said, grabbing the young King's shoulders. "Yugi! Snap out of it," he commanded.

"Stop shakin' 'im, rich boy," Jounouchi said, pushing Kaiba back. "Shakin' dizzy people is stupid, man."

Kaiba rocked back on his heels, his thoughts racing. What was going on here? Whatever it was had affected both Yugi and Yami to the point the Pharaoh had returned to the King's mind. What could cause this? Unless...

He stilled, considering an idea. Was it possible? Yugi said Pegasus existed in this universe which meant Duel Monsters most likely existed too. The KaibaCorp technology and Solid Vision added to this deduction. But Gozaboro would never have allowed such technology to be created for anything but weapons, which meant it was also highly likely there was a version of himself in this universe as well. Yugi had already admitted to learning there was a version of himself in this reality also and this alternate Yugi was planning on being at this location today.

Kaiba thought hard. The last time he had seen symptoms similar to this, it had been when he, Mai, Shaadi, Arrow, and Green Lantern had ventured into the alternate reality with the space Vikings, the not-god Doctor Strange, and the super-powered Avengers. Green Lantern had begun to feel dizzy and somewhat disoriented while they were near Las Vegas. At the time, Kaiba had suspected the reaction to be a possible result of Lantern being near the relative proximity of a version of himself from that reality. But Lantern's reaction hadn't been anywhere near this extreme.

Kaiba opened his senses to the Shadows as wide as he dared and felt the presence of the last Shadow user carefully. It was Darker than his Balance, but it was also Lighter. The two orientations flowed around each other like dye swirling in crystal clear water.

"Damn!" He leapt forward, ignoring the mutt's angry exclamations, and bodily dragged Yugi away from the Knight's grasp and into a patch of landscaped grass a good ten feet from the place the unseen Shadow user occupied in the Field Spell.

"Wha' the hell is wrong with you?" Jounouchi groused furiously.

"Keep him away from that place," Kaiba commanded.

"Yer not the boss o' me," the mutt fumed. 

"Unless you want your King to stay like this, keep him away from that spot," Kaiba yelled over Jounouchi.

"Why?" the Knight demanded in frustration.

"He's probably reacting to occupying the same space as this reality's version of himself," Kaiba said sternly. Normally he would have enjoyed watching the mutt's eyes grow as wide as the proverbial saucers, but not right now. "The same matter cannot occupy the same space, ever. It can create a paradox."

"But...do'n't that have somethin' t' do with time, not space?" Jounouchi said.

"At least you know that much, you stupid mutt," Kaiba said, taking pleasure in raising the Knight's hackles.

"Don't argue," Yugi said, rubbing his head deliriously and blinking. He smiled at his Knight when Jounouchi gently helped him sit up. He clutched his head when it throbbed painfully for a few moments before subsiding to a more tolerable level. "You think that's what was happening? A paradox?" he asked his Regent.

Kaiba met his gaze evenly. "I wouldn't have said it if I doubted it," he said.

As one, the three Shadow users turned to the place where the three unknown Shadow users stood, locked in a Field Spell. Yugi took a deep breath and used Jounouchi's shoulder to push himself to his feet.

"Then, in that case," he said, eyes alight with determination, "let's go watch a Shadow Game."


	48. A Light in the Dark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the Light burns brightest when the world is darkest and nothing can stand against it. Nothing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** So sorry about the accidental posting of this chapter this morning. I was editting yhis at work and accidentally clicked Post instead of Save. My bad. For those of you familiar with YGO GX, you may notice a few things near the end. If not, no worries. Just wait and see.

The Field Spell was beautiful in a malevolent sort of way. Had the evil permeating the atmosphere not been present, then Kaiba would probably even find this place relaxing. It vaguely resembled the not-place where he held Court with his Triad. The nebulae and stars moved through the violet tinted void which draped over the surfaces of the ground and the buildings still standing in the city outside the Field Spell like a form-fitting veil. Even the sky above glowed from the plethora of stars in the vast expanse of simulated space.

Unfortunately, the stabbing pain in Kaiba's chest followed by a heartbreakingly familiar roar yanked his thoughts back to the here and now. Next to him, Jounouchi grunted and clutched his gut in similar pain that wasn't physical but soulful in nature. Yugi gasped and pointed to a place behind his Regent's shoulder with an awful expression on his face, mirrored by Yami. Kaiba did not want to turn and look because seeing what he knew was there would make it too real.

Nevertheless, Kaiba looked and had to fight the urge to cry from fury and sadness. There, shining and majestic, was his Blue Eyes White Dragon. Hovering next to his stolen Blue Eyes was the mutt's Red Eyes Black Dragon. Clearly, both dragons were freshly summoned from a duelist's Deck. Whoever dared summon Kaiba's most precious Monster without his permission would pay dearly.

However, before Kaiba could step in and reclaim what was rightfully his, he felt the prick of power and sentience that was Blue Eyes twist unnaturally. It felt like an invisible force wrapped a clawed hand around his heart and attempted to wrench it out of his chest. The choked cry from the Knight indicated whatever was happening to Blue Eyes was also happening to Red Eyes.

"Kaiba!" Yugi cried. "Jounouchi!"

Kaiba sank to his knees, his hands grasping at his chest trying to protect it from the damage. It felt like his very soul was suffering. Yami stepped in front of him, blocking Blue Eyes from his sight, and gripped his shoulders, shaking him harshly.

"Snap out of Regent!" the Pharaoh commanded. 

But he couldn't. He could only watch in horror as Kisara howled, her body contorting, forcibly changing to suit her summoner's purposes. Jet black armor fueled by the same evil that pervaded this place clamped firmly to her body, covering her wings, and subduing her will. It was inhumane and far from a painless process. Kaiba and Seth could feel her despair through their shared link as if it were their own. It was shredding them apart.

"Fight it," the Pharaoh's voice said, muffled over the well of hopelessness deafening Kaiba's senses. "Don't let it control you. Separate yourself from her. I need my Regent _here!_ "

Seth whimpered in the back of Kaiba's mind before reluctantly raising a curtain of Shadows, severing the intimate connection tying Kisara to his and Kaiba's minds. It felt like they were killing her, abandoning her to whatever power currently manipulated her. Instead, Kaiba channeled all of his hurt and pent up energy towards one thing: vengeance.

When Kaiba opened his eyes, they were ice cold and glared with all the hateful contempt Kaiba could muster at the person standing on a white motorcycle-like vehicle hovering in the air. This was the duelist who was controling his beloved against her will. Kaiba and Seth would the bastard pay dearly for that transgression.

"Hey, I know you," Jounouchi snarled in a particularly vicious voice. He pushed himself to his feet and pointed at the duelist manipulating his Red Eyes Black Dragon. "Your that fucking Bastard!"

"What?!" Yugi gasped. He stopped what he was doing and spun around to stare up at the duelist on the white motorcycle.

"You," Yami growled deep in his throat, adopting a battle ready stance.

"Well, isn't this nice," Kaiba said, a dark smirk slicing a thin line across his face. "We get to save the world, again, _and_ deal with the Bastard all in one go." His eyes hardened. "I'll take Kisara back over his dead body."

"I c'n get behin' that," Jounouchi agreed, all but chomping at the bit to attack. "Red Eyes is mine, damnit!"

If Kaiba didn't know better, he would have bet the Knight would beat the Bastard to a pulp with his bare hands if he could. Not that Kaiba would stop him.

"We may not have a choice," Yugi said, the faintest hint of reget tinging his voice.

"I'll deal with it, Aibou," the Pharaoh stated firmly, placing a comforting hand on Yugi's shoulder. "I will do my best not to let your hands be stained with blood."

Yugi winced. His gaze dropped as his desire for vengeance conflicted with his moral compass. He had no problem with making the Bastard suffer for his crimes, but the death penalty was not something he took pleasure in casting. It felt like doing so took a piece of his humanity away from him. He would have to think long and hard about what his Penalty would be.

He sighed heavily. This was when he needed his Emissary Anzu. Her steadfast stance on morality was something he craved in these types of situations.

Lifting his eyes once more, Yugi blinked. "Wait," he said, eyes going wide when he noticed the Monster facing off against the Bastard. "Is that... Mahad?!" His hand instinctually rested over his own Deck, feeling his Dark Magician's presence radiate through the paper medium.

"What?" Yami gasped, following his Ba's gaze in shock. "Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl!"

"Red Eyes don't!" Jounouchi cried, forgetting in the heat of the moment that his dragon could no longer hear and obey his true master's commands.

Before the ball of red energy could strike Dark Magician Girl, however, the opposing duelist on the far left separated his Monster into two Monsters and the middle opposing duelist activated a Trap that negated Red Eyes attack. Jounouchi all but slumped in relief. But then the corrupted Blue Eyes attacked, wiping the remaining opposing duelist's Dark Magician out. Yugi cried out, covering his mouth in distress. Yami practically vibrated in righteous anger.

The sight of Kisara in such a deformed state did things to Kaiba's heart that he would never admit out loud. He would rather Kisara be destroyed than be used like this. This must be what Kisara felt when the Traitor had control of his mind back in ancient Egypt and used him as a puppet to attack the Pharaoh. Kaiba refused to let history repeat itself. 

However, before he could draw on the Shadows and cast his own Spell, the middle duelist's dragon, a beautiful white and blue lizard with delicate wings and a horned head, burst into shards of light, cancelling out the effect of the Bastard's bloated monstrosity on the field. However, the attempted defense was neutralized when the Bastard -damn him to Ammit's gullet!- had his large, sickeningly proportioned beast that could barely be called a dragon attacked, destroying the only Monster on the far left duelist's field. With that, every other Monster on the three duelists' side of the field subsequently followed.

The ensuing blast of wind from the attack tossed the three young duelists' off their feet, slamming them to the ground close to where Kaiba and his companions stood. Though the method of transit was less than convenient, the duelists' closer proximity allowed the univited Shadow users to have a much clearer view of their faces. One in particular, stood out from the crowd.

"Yami," Yugi whispered. He stared at the duelist who'd been in control of Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl before they were destroyed.

"Yes," the Pharaoh replied, just as quietly. "I see, but..." He glanced at his partner furtively, slipping a hand into Yugi's and twining their fingers together before returning his gaze to the fallen duelist. "I'm not sure how I feel about it."

Sure enough, the the duelist who had successfully summoned Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl was none other than this world's version of Yugi Motou.

* * *

 

Yugi felt the energy drain from his body as his life points dropped to a mere 500 from Paradox's brutal attack. The shockwave rammed into his body, sweeping him off his feet, and tossing him through the air like a sack of potatoes. He landed hard on his side, instantly coughing up blood when his broken rib tore through his lung. He could barely breathe.

"Yugi!" Yusei cried.

He tried to pick himself up from the crumbled sprawl he'd landed in and crawl over to his fallen friend. He was fairly certain his right shoulder was dislocated from the impact. He would certainly have a nasty bruise on his side from where his duel disk jammed into his side. But he knew it was nothing compared to what Yugi must be experiencing.

"Judai," Yusei called over his shoulder to the young duelist on his other side, "help Yugi."

But Judai couldn't answer right away. Judai's Monster had been destroyed first, effectively concentrating the brunt of the attack on him. His head had struck the ground hard almost knocking him unconscious. As it was, Judai vaguely knew he had a concussion. He couldn't hold his thoughts in place for longer than a few seconds before they slipped from his mental grasp. He made the mistake of trying to get up too fast and immediately crumbled back to the ground.

"Judai!" Yusei cried. He didn't know what to do. Both of his comrades were severely injured and there was nothing he could do.

"I'm not done yet, you godforesaken brats!" Paradox screamed. "I activate the Quick-Play Magic Card _Malefic Cross_ to let me bring back a Malefic Monster that was destroyed this turn. Say hello to the reborn Malefic Stardust Dragon!"

Yusei slumped back to the ground, fear shaking him to the core. There was nothing he could do. "Stardust," he pleaded amidst his tears. "Don't listen to him, please."

"Now _my_ Malefic Stardust Dragon," Paradox said, a victorious grin on his face, "wipe these lab rats off the face of this universe so I can finally finish what I started!"

Yusei felt something inside him give. He could only watch as his favorite Monster, perverted by the damnable Shadows, reared back its head and fired a tainted stream of what was once pure light. Yusei had no more cards in play. Neither did Yugi. Only Judai had a facedown card on the field. But the brunette was struggling to stay upright and in no shape to play that card. There was no way they could defend themselves.

They had lost. 

 _:No,:_ Yugi thought raising his head defiantly.

He would not go down meekly. There may be nothing he could do but he still had Yami nestled firmly, safely in his mind. A part of him wished his other self would avenge him, save them, something. But judging from Yami's frantic thoughts, there was little that could be done from his end.

Then suddenly - _impossibly-_  Jounouchi was there! But how?

"Jinzo!" Jounouchi yelled, slapping a card to his own duel disk. "Take the blow!"

The machine Monster appeared in front of the blonde duelist for only a second before being destroyed by Malefic Stardust Dragon's attack. Since Jinzo had appeared in a Defense position, Jounouchi escaped relatively unscathed, if a bit windblown.

"Aw, hell yeah!" Jounouchi hollered, pumping a fist in the air. "Take that you ugly, shit faced Bastard! That's for stealin' my Red Eyes!"

Yugi was stunned to say the least. How could another duelist even enter a Shadow Game let alone join in after the duel had already started. Not only was it not honorable to intrude on another person's duel, but Yugi had no idea how intruding on a Shadow Game was even possible. Even Yami was blown away by the idea. Yet there Jounouchi stood, clear as day; a shining ray of hope.

"Jounouchi?" he coughed, dearly hoping this wasn't a dream

The blonde duelist turned and flashed Yugi a thumbs up. "Hey there bud," he said. "Sorry fer the delay. I took the scenic route." He paused, then snorted pointing his thumb casually at someone over Yugi's shoulder. "Blame him," he said flippantly.

"Typical."

Yugi stiffened, hardly daring to turn at the speaker. It couldn't be.

"Never taking the fall for your own blunders." A dark figure swept past Yugi's fallen form with barely a glance. His long, dark purple tranch coat billowing out behind him as he moved. "That's why you're a mutt."

"Impossible," Paradox breathed, unable to comprehend what he was seeing.

"Say that again, fuckboy," Jounouchi yelled, waving a fist at the very alive and well and obviously pissed off Kaiba Seto.

"You really are deaf, aren't you?" Kaiba quipped.

"Bite me."

"Not interested."

"Hey, I jus' saved the day here," Jounouchi said, waving at the game field. "I didn' see you doin' anything, rich boy."

"Ah, there they go again," Yugi heard his own voice say with a touch of tolerant weariness. "I can't take them anywhere."

Yugi froze. In the corner of his eye, he saw Yusei in the midst at crawling over to Judai's aid, stop and whirl around to face the new speaker. But there was _no way_ the person could _be_ there. Yugi hadn't said anything. He could barely speak at all from the pain and coughing.

The dark chuckle that answered the voice that sounded so much like Yugi's own made even the spirit of the Millennium Puzzle pause. Yami only existed in Yugi's mind. Only Yugi could ever hear that particular voice unless it was in his mind or speaking through his own mouth when the spirit was in control. But Yugi was very well aware that Yami was _not_ in control. In fact, the spirit seemed just as taken aback by his own voice speaking aloud as Yugi was.

Biting back the pain, Yugi carefully shifted around to see the owner of those voices. It was like looking into a mirror. His own face, not the ghostly mimicry the spirit created, but Yugi's _own face_ stared back at him.

"Hi," the other Yugi said shyly.

Yugi swore he was going insane.

"I'd touch you but I'm not sure what that would do to you," Other-Yugi said thoughtfuly, his worried eyes flickering over Yugi's body. "Paradoxes happen when the same matter occupies the same space."

"True."

Yugi lifted his eyes to see the honest to goodness solid form of the spirit of the Millennium Puzzle standing tall and powerful behind Other-Yugi.

"But that may only apply to time-related paradoxes," the solid spirit said, offering the injured duelist who shared his face a friendly smile. "We could always ask for help from her."

Yugi groaned and ducked his head, coughing wetly. This was too much for him to handle right now.

"Easy, other me," Other-Yugi said softly. "Mystical Elf, take his pain away please," Other-Yugi continued to someone else.

Yugi managed to lift his eyes once more and was stunned to see his Mystical Elf Monster alive and solid gazing at him with gentle concern. Her sky blue skin was undimmed by the darkness of the _Malefic World_ Field Spell. Her touch was softer than down and her voice tinkled like wind chimes in a breeze as she chanted her healing spell. Without consciously realizing what was happening, Yugi felt his fear ease, soothed by her enchanting voice.

A sharp stabbing sensation in his side jolted his body as his rib pulled out of his lung and settled back in its proper place. Slowly, the pain ebbed away and his breathing came more smoothly. Now he just felt drained and shaky from adrenaline and relief.

"There," Other-Yugi said gently. "I bet that feels better. My name is Motou Yugi, but I think you probably already figured that out by now. I suppose you can call me Motou if you want. It would certainly help with the confusion."

Other-Yami knelt next to Motou and chuckled, a fond smile on his face. "What do you call the version of myself who dwells in your mind, young one?" he asked.

Yugi hesitated, rested a protective hand over his golden Puzzle. "Yami," he said.

Other-Yami grinned and nodded. "I'm not necessarily surprised," he said gently. "Call me Pharaoh then. It's my title so I'm used to hearing it."

"Arrogant," Yugi heard Kaiba mutter not-so-quietly behind him.

The Pharaoh smirked and aimed a challenging gaze at Kaiba. "I believe the phrase is: 'It takes one to know one,'" he said.

Jounouchi snickered and even Yami, still watching through Yugi's eyes, smiled at the friendly jab. 

"I killed you!" Paradox said, slamming a fist against the panel of his hovering Duel Runner. " _All of you!_ You're dead. I _shot_ you!" he screamed, pointing directly at the person who looked almost identical to Yugi. "Why are you still alive!? You're like goddamned cockroaches!"

Everyone but Yugi lifted their eyes to Paradox who seemed torn between raving in abject fury and cowering in fear. Yusei sincerely hoped it was the latter. He would pay to see Paradix afraid. He pulled a slowly recovering Judai close to his side protectively and watched.

"Yeah?" Yusei heard Jounouchi taunt. "So what if we are?"

"Normally I'd take that as an offense," Kaiba declared, a sneer on his face. "But for now, I'll take it as a compliment. Eat this, Bastard. _Ring of Destruction!_ "

Yusei gasped when a ring of solid steal with flames shooting out if blow holes along it's outer edge materialized encircling the Malefic Truth Dragon's neck. But how... How did he do that without a duel disk? Before he could ask, Kaiba cast spoke again, this time casting a Spell.

"Now, _Ring of Defense,_ activate!"

Half a second later, the _Ring of Destruction_ exploded taking the accursed Malefic Truth Dragon with it. Good riddance.

"That was for stealing my Blue Eyes and using her like a tool, you pig-eating son of a whore!" Kaiba bellowed. His voice rumbled with power. Or was that actually thunder Yusei heard?

"Regent," Yugi's voice said, a note of command in his voice that Yusei barely recognized. It took him a moment to realize it was the other Yugi who has spoken, not the Yugi who dueled beside him.

Yusei turned towards the voice again, still having trouble comprehending what he was seeing. The other Yugi stood, turning his body towards the darker version of himself standing next to him. There were three Yugis. No. Yusei studied the darker person closely. That one wasn't Yugi. That person had crueler eyes and had a darker feel to him. This must be...

"The Nameless Pharaoh," he whispered in disbelief

"Let's end this Shadow Game now," the Pharaoh declared with all the power and authority his title carried.

The Yugi who stood next to the dark Pharaoh nodded, held out his arms, palms facing upwards as if to worship or summon something, and began speaking in a language Yusei did not recognize. However, judging from the way the Yugi still on the ground being treated by a -was that a Duel Monster?- blue skinned woman reacted, flinching away from the Duel Monster healing him and staring at his alternate self dumbfounded, at least one person knew what language that was. Maybe Yugi even knew _what_ was being said.

As the alternate Yugi continued chanting, he began to glow; softly at first like a candle, then blazing like a lighthouse in the middle of the night. The light was powerful and dangerous and, strangely, warm. Yusei felt his skin tingle, reminding him of his home, his friends, his Stardust Dragon. His fear began to fade, replaced by a calm acceptance. 

For a moment, when the light the alternate Yugi emenated was at its brightest, Yusei could swear he saw what looked like a great phoenix rising from an inferno of burning gold. It felt...like home.

"It can't be," Judai murmured, startling Yusei out of his reverie.

Yusei looked down to where his new friend was leaning in his one useable arm staring fixedly at the still glowing alternate Yugi. Judai's pupils were blown wide almost obliterating the younger boy's brown irises.

"Yubel," Judai said, his words slurring slightly, "That light... Is that...what I think it is? It hurts." He groaned.

The Pharaoh knelt in front of Judai and placed both of his hands on the youngest duelist' face. "Close your eyes, young one," the Pharaoh commanded gently. "This is too much Light for one such as you to handle. Let me help."

Yusei flinched when the Pharaoh began to glow as well. Or was it not-glow? A darkness that was a stark contrast to the alternate Yugi's light grew like an inky halo around the Pharaoh's body. As Yusei watched, the dark halo seeped over the Pharaoh's skin and onto Judai's from where the Pharaoh's hands touched him. For some reason, it disturbed Yusei in a way he couldn't explain.

"With this," the alternate Yugi declared in a voice as cold and soft as a winter sun that drowned out all other sound, yanking Yusei's attention back to his light, "I declare this Shadow Game null and void. So says the King of the Shadow Realm and Earthbound Shadow Kingdom. Now dispell this evil place and take us to the  _Realm of Light!_ "

A pulse of blinding light exploded outward from the alternate Yugi's body and the  _Malefic World_ Field Spell melted away. When the light faded, Yusei and everyone present were surrounded by a city of white marble nestled in a narrow pass between two great mountains overlooking a sapphire sea. Sunshine, birdsong, and the distant white noise of the ocean filled the fresh air with life. It brought with it a sense of freedom and serenity that was so intense it ached.

"I must be losing my mind," Yusei said softly. "Correct me if I'm wrong but... We weren't in the mountains before this whole shindig began... Were we?"

"No," the Yugi who still sat next to him on the ground replied. The blue skinned woman who had been holding him was nowhere to be seen. "We weren't. But I know this place. It's the field spell _Realm of Light_. What in the world is going on?"

"Nothin' serious," Jounouchi said, coming over to squat down between Yugi and Yusei, sparing a worried frown for Judai who was still being comforted by the Pharaoh. "Jus some good ole fashioned payback, is all." He winked and suddenly Yusei questioned the serenity he felt.


	49. Fear the Light

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the King holds Judgment and pays a price for mercy forcing the Light to show why it should be feared.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** Hey, meant to post this yesterday but it needed some serious editing from both myself and my pseudo-beta **Raelyn_Sakura** on AO3. She's written her own addition to the _Shadow Justice_ series called " An Unfashionable Disaster" which is Tornshipping (Yami BakuraxMarikxRyou) if anyone's interested in reading. Please do. It's listed in the series but the direct link to it is here:
> 
>  http://archiveofourown.org/works/7073071
> 
> Shameless plug for my lobster mate and real life best friend done. On to the story.

"Here," the Pharaoh, removing one of his hands from Judai's face. He said something in the same language the alternate Yugi had used and a small, stoppered glass beaker of red liquid appeared in his hand. "This will help heal your injury," he said, offering the liquid to Judai. "I'm told it doesn't taste too good," he said with a wry grin. "But then, when does medicine ever taste good?"

"Medicine?" Yusei asked, watching the Pharaoh remove the cork from the beaker and guide the opening to Judai's lips.

"Yes," the Pharaoh replied. " _Red Medicine_ , to be precise."

"But that's a Spell..." Yusei said. His eyes widened as he began to understand. He considered the effects of the Spell. "It increases the user's life points by 500."

The Pharaoh chuckled. "In the game, yes that's true. But in reality, it gives what could be considered the equivalent in energy or healing ability." Yusei nodded hesitantly and the Pharaoh sighed. "It increases the speed and efficiency of the healing process," he explained.

"But this is just a game," Yusei said. "Granted people have used it in ways I can't explain with powers that I've never seen before, but it _is_ just a game." He met the Pharaoh's sardonic gaze, suddenly unsure of his own words. "Right?"

The Pharaoh shook his head. "No, it isn't just a game," he said slowly. "Not for people like us."

"What kind of people are you?" Judai asked, sitting up and rubbing his head gingerly. "What the heck was in that stuff? It tasted blah but my head doesn't really hurt anymore."

"I would take it easy still," the Pharaoh said. "Head wounds are finicky especially when magic is involved."

"Speaking of magic," Judai's eyes narrowed. "That light. What was it?"

The Pharaoh's smile softened to something Yusei could only identify as loving. He watched closely how eyes the color of fine red wine moved to where the alternate Yugi was kneeling by his counterpart, carefully helping him up. That look was exactly the same look Yusei remembered seeing when lovers stared at each other while one wasn't aware. It was such a pure, adoring love that it caught Yusei off guard.

"That would be Yugi," the Pharaoh said, his voice gentle. "Although, I think we've decided you can call him Motou to prevent confusing him with the Yugi from this world."

"This world?" Yusei parroted in confusion. "You mean this  _time_?"

"Time?" the Pharaoh said, a spark of curiosity glittering in his eyes. "No, I don't believe so. As for your question, fledgling," he said to Judai who bristled at the 'fledgling' comment, "Motou is the Light as I am the Dark. It is," he tilted his head in thought, "perhaps a bit complicated at first, but we'll explain as much as we can later. For now, what should I call you?"

"Yuki Judai," Judai said.

"Fudo Yusei," Yusei said. "We're from the future."

"The..." The Pharaoh blinked before shaking his head. "Later," he muttered, pushing himself up so he crouched on the balls of his feet. "In the meantime," he said, voice hardened and he aimed a dark glare at the crumbled form of Paradox near the middle of the wide open plaza, "we have a Penalty to cast."

Without another word, the Pharaoh stood and strode towards Kaiba. The KaibaCorp CEO stood tall with one foot planted firmly on what appeared to be Paradox's neck. Jounouchi stood from his squat next to Yusei and stretched casually.

"Whoo man," the blonde crowed loudly. "He's gonna pay. You guys wanna join?" he asked, turning to Yusei and Judai, offering a hand to help them up. He paused when he noticed the way Yusei's right arm hung limply. "Hey, what's up wit' yer arm?"

Yusei winced. "It's dislocated," he said.

"Dislocated?" Judai said, forcing himself to sit up slowly. "Let me-"

"Naw, bro," Jounouchi said, waving the brunette back. "I got this. Why don'cha head on over to join Yug'- er, Motou. Geez, that'll get me," he mumbled awkwardly. He took a knee by Yusei and braced his hands gently but firmly over the black haired duelist's shoulder joint. "Deep breath," was all the warning Yusei got before his shoulder flared then eased somewhat as his arm gave, sliding back into place with a sickening pop.

Yusei bit back his yelp of pain in favor of controlling his breathing. He gingerly tested his fingers for movement. It hurt, but they did twitch. He pushed himself to his feet with a grateful nod to the blonde.

"Thanks Jounouchi," he said.

Jounouchi started, flailing dramatically. "Woah! You know me?" he demanded in surprise.

"Of course," Yusei said, as if the answer was obvious. "You're the third best duelist in Duel Monsters history if I recall correctly."

"Third best?" Jounouchi groaned. "Who beat me to second? And don't say it's rich boy or I swear I'll-"

"It's Kaiba," Judai said, a teasing smirk on his face.

"Ah! No! Come on, yer killin' me 'ere," Jounouchi moaned theatrically. He slumped. "Whatever. I'll set the record straight when I beat rich boy 'n take his rich boy pants."

"You wish," Kaiba called from where he stood startling everyone standing near Jounouchi.

"The hell? How'd you know what I was sayin'?" the blonde demanded, stalking up to Kaiba with Yusei and Judai in tow.

"Because you're a predictable mutt in need of a muzzle," Kaiba answer in a curt tone.

"He means," Motou said quickly, waving his hands in a placating manner, "that we could hear you. You were talking a bit loud."

"Oh," Jounouchi said, calming down quickly. "Okay."

Yusei and Judai blinked and looked at each other, surprised by the abrupt change in attitude.

"Alright," Judai said, drawing out the word. "So." He looked down at Paradox who was still pinned by Kaiba's foot and not liking it one bit. "What do we do now?"

"Now, we play a Judgement Game and punish him for his crimes," the Pharaoh said, crossing his arms. "Aibou," he said, turning to Motou who stood next to him, "would you like to preside over this?"

Yusei noticed the way his Yugi stiffened at the pet name, but didn't know what to make of it. Yugi had been suspiciously quiet since Motou and the others arrived.

"Hey," he said, nudging Yugi with his shoulder. Wide violet eyes looked up at him in confusion. "You okay? How's your side?"

Yugi hesitated, his eyes flicking to where Motou and the Pharaoh were conversing softly. "I'm fine," he said distractedly. "Motou," he tripped over the word, "had Mystical Elf heal me."

"Mystical Elf is one of your cards, isn't it?" Judai said. Yugi nodded. "I bet it's weird seeing two people show up outta nowhere wearing your face."

"Well..." Yugi brushed a hand over his Millennium Puzzle. "It's more seeing the Pharaoh that's weird," he admitted. "I usually only get to see Yami, that's what I call the spirit of my Puzzle, in my mind or when he decides to manifest. But even then, I'm the only one who ever sees him. Seeing him like that..." He turned to where the Pharaoh stood and let his words trail away.

"It's disconcerting," Yusei finished.

"That," Yugi said with a slight nod, "but it also gives me hope." A faint smile tugged at his lips. "If the Pharaoh from wherever it is they're from can take a form like that, then maybe my Yami can do that too one day."

Yusei studied Yugi for a moment before offering him a smile. "There's always a chance," he said. "The future isn't written in stone yet, right?"

"Yeah," Judai chirped. "I mean, we beat Paradox to save our home times. Why can't your Yami do that solid thing?"

 _:I'll certainly try,:_ Yugi heard Yami say in his mind.

Yugi smiled. _:Don't worry if you can't,:_ he said, sending warm affection and trust the spirit's way. _:I just want to show you off to my friends.:_

 _:I see,:_ Yami replied, chuckling. _:Then I shall put forth my best effort.:_

Yugi rolled his eyes and only then noticed the change in the atmosphere. He saw Motou standing at the head of a triangle with Jounouchi behind him, the Pharaoh stood at another point of the triangle, and Kaiba stood at the remaining point. From his vantage point between Motou and the Pharaoh, Yugi could see shining gold lines stretch along the ground, connecting Motou, the Pharaoh, and Kaiba together in a triangular prison of light.

"What's going on?" he asked, not sure if he liked the power rippling through the air. Yami appeared beside him in his spirit form, hovering close to his shoulder. They both felt on edge.

"I'm not sure," Yusei replied softly. "But that light... It's-"

"Dangerous," Judai said sharply, startling both of his companions. "Don't let it touch you."

For some reason, Yusei disagreed with Judai's statement. This light didn't feel threatening, quite the opposite in fact. It felt comforting, reassuring. He absently wondered if this was what it felt like to be held in a mother's arms. Before he could sink too far into his fantasy, Motou spoke.

"Name yourself," Motou commanded.

Paradox twitched as if struggling against an invisible force. Instead of answering, he spat at Motou's feet. Motou's violet eyes softened in sadness.

"Paradox," Yusei said, feeling compelled to do so. "He calls himself Paradox." Motou glanced at him and smiled gratefully.

"Paradox," Motou said, facing the enemy duelist once more. "You stand accused of many things, not the least of which being the unmaking of our home. What say you to this?"

"You're despicable," Paradox hissed. "You stand there and act all high and mighty when it was your fault my time was destroyed."

"I do not know of which you speak," Motou said, shaking his head. "Though your voice will be heard. However, there is an order to these things." He held out a single hand, palm facing up, and golden scales emblazoned with the Eye of Ra manifested in the air above his skin. The pan on the right had a single, white feather resting on its surface while the pan on the left was conspicuously empty.

 _:Shaadi's Millennium Scales!:_ Yami exclaimed, appearing in his ghostly form next to an equally stunned Yugi. _:How is this possible?:_

"I don't know," Yugi murmured. "But I don't like it."

Yusei glanced at his companion curiously. Was he the only one not bothered by the light? Did they know something he didn't?

"Paradox, if that truly be your name," Motou said, "you stand accused of attempting to murder my Regent, called Kaiba Seto; aiding the Olympian Ares in the bombing that resulted in the deaths of innocents and the temporary loss of the Titan Helios and the Keeper, called Kaiba Mokuba; aiding Ares in traveling to and from another world to take Helios from the protection of my Regent; stealing the Red Eyes Black Dragon from my Knight, called Jounouchi Katsuya; stealing the Blue Eyes White Dragon from my Regent; attempting to murder me; and the attempted destruction of the Shadow Realm and all those who dwell there. What do you say to these accusations?"

Yusei's mouth dropped open as the list of accusations grew. "Olympians?" he murmured in confusion. "What is going on here?"

The laughter broke through his thoughts and drew his attention back to Paradox. The maniacal grin on the terrorist's face sent chills down Yusei's back. There was just something...unhinged about it.

"You act like what I did was wrong," Paradox said, shrugging off the accusations like water off a duck's back. "I was saving my time from destruction. You would do the same if you were in my position. Don't bother to deny it, monster."

"Hold your tongue!"

"Pharaoh," Motou said, holding out a hand to forestall any further comment. He offered a smile. "It's alright."

"As you say," Kaiba said. Although based on the cold glint in Kaiba's blue eyes, Yusei sensed those words meant more than what was immediately obvious. What was Yusei missing?

"You have been heard," Motou said, returning his attention to Paradox.

"Something's not right here," Judai said, shifting next to Yusei. "Wha! I can't move!"

"What?" Yugi gasped. He attempted to lift one of his legs and found it held firmly to the ground.

 _:Aibou,:_ Yami cried. But there was nothing he could do either. He himself was pinned in place by a force he knew well, but never guessed would react this way. _:It's the Shadows.:_

Yusei twitched, testing the limits of his mobility. The lack of response did make him nervous but, unlike his companions, he felt no panic. Fear didn't flood his senses, it just skittered along the edges. He knew he _should_ be scared, but for some unknown reason he just...wasn't. He felt calm, tranquil even. He wouldn't mind just standing here bathing in the warm light for as long as he could.

"Are there others here who wish to add their own accusations?" Motou asked, his voice soothing.

"I wish to do so," Yusei said, the words spilling from his mouth before he could stop them. He didn't _want_ to stop them.

Motou met Yusei's gaze with his own and nodded. "Then speak and be heard," he said.

"I accuse this man Paradox of stealing my Stardust Dragon and making my time go up in ash," Yusei said, pointing a finger the man held in the prison of light. "My friends, my home, everything is being destroyed because of him."

Motou hummed. "You have been heard," he said simply. His gaze returned to Paradox as he spoke again. "What say you to this, Paradox?"

"Heh, you keep asking as if my answer will change," Paradox said incredulously. "If his time is disintegrating than it means it wasn't right to begin with."

Yusei felt an emotion like anger flare within him for a moment before the light soothed it away, calming him.

Again, Motou's eyes saddened. "You have been heard. Are there others who wish to voice an accusation?"

Judai twitched, biting his tongue against the urge to speak. He didn't trust this light. He couldn't move. Was this a-

"I accuse Paradox of stealing the Cyber End Dragon and the Rainbow Dragon from my friends back at Duelist Academy," he spat angrily. His eyes grew wide when he realized what he was saying. He wasn't supposed to say that. He didn't want to. So why? "I also accuse him of sending my time up into ash as well."

This was definitely a Shadow Game, and Judai hated it.

"You have been heard," Motou said simply. "What say you to this Paradox?"

Paradox pushed himself to his feet, glaring at Motou who stood several heads shorter than him. "Good riddance," he said, a smug expression on his face.

Judai made to lunge at Paradox only to stagger and sway when whatever force held him in place tightened its grip, refusing to let him budge. He tried pulling his foot free but it stayed firmly planted on the ground. He _hated_ this.

"Are there any others who wish to add their accusations to this?" Motou asked once more.

Yusei wasn't surprised to see Yugi move in his peripheral vision.

"I do," Yugi said. His face was filled with bewilderment and the slightest hint of fear as he spoke. "I accuse Paradox of attacking the convention and killing the people who were there including my grandpa, Kaiba, and Pegasus."

Motou jumped and turned his wide eyes to his alternate in shock. "What?" he gasped. "Grandpa?"

"Aibou," the Pharaoh said sharply, his voice cutting through the calming aura of the light like a solar eclipse.

"I'm...dead?" Kaiba said. His eyes were wide for a second before they sharpened and glared furiously at Paradox. "You Bastard."

"I also accuse you of attempting to kill me too when I survived," Yugi continued.

Yusei looked at his shorter friend and was intrigued to see Yugi's thin shoulders shaking. Was Yugi crying? Why? Why was he sad? There was nothing to be sad about. Why did Yugi not feel calm?

"Yes," Paradox purred, his eyes flicking up and down Yugi's shivering form. "That was certainly satisfying."

"This is so wrong," Judai said, twisting against the bonds holding him. "Stop this."

"You have both been heard," Motou said.

Yusei felt a ripple in the light and felt briefly disconcerted. This was not usual for him. He didn't typically feel this comfortable and peaceful during a Shadow Game or duel of any kind. Was Judai right? Was there something he was missing?

"Paradox," Motou said, wiping all trace of doubt and discomfort from Yusei's mind. "Normally, I would let the Scales judge you for each crime separately. However, seeing as we are short on time and your crimes are many and great, I will let the Shadows judge you for all of the crimes of which you are accused."

 _:Shadows!:_ Yami growled.

"It _is_ a Shadow Game! Damn it!" Judai cried, or tried to. Instead his voice came out at regular volume which only served to increase his frustration. "This has to _stop!_ "

"I will simply ask you three questions," Motou said, holding up three fingers. "Your answers will be taken into account for the final judgement. My first question," he held up one finger. "Why did you seek to murder us and do harm to innocent lives?"

"Hardly innocent," Paradox countered coldly. "There isn't a Shadowmancer alive who's innocent."

"Shadowmancer?" the Pharaoh asked. "I've never heard of such a thing."

Paradox turned to the Pharaoh in annoyance. "Well aren't you an ignorant fool," he hissed. "You're the darkest Shadowmancer to ever live, Nameless Pharaoh."

"I have a name," the Pharaoh replied. "Not that I'd tell you, of course," he added slyly.

Yugi felt shock strike him through his connection with the spirit of the Millennium Puzzle. The Pharaoh had a name? Was it Yami's name? His _true_ name?

"Not everyone you killed can touch the Shadows," Kaiba interrupted. "In fact, the majority of the people you killed had no powers at all."

"Wrong place, wrong time," Paradox said dismissively, crossing his arms to indicate the subject was closed.

"I see," Motou murmured. "You have been heard."

There was a metalic click and Yusei blinked. The gold pans on the scales were no longer even with one another. The empty pan on the left was a notch lower than the one on the right.

"Hey," Judai said. "Those scales moved on their own."

"They're controlled by the Shadows," Yugi said suddenly. "Shaadi explained it to me once. The Shadows judge the evil in a person's heart. The feather is supposed to represent balance. If a person's heart is evil, it weighs down the empty pan and they're found guilty and punished."

"And if they're good?" Yusei asked hesitantly.

"Then the empty pan rises and the person if found innocent," Yugi finished.

"Somethin' tells me Paradox's pan isn't going to lift," Judai muttered.

Paradox noticed the lower pan too and snarled. "Why go through with this farce?" he demanded. "You've already decided I'm guilty. So go ahead and punish me."

"That's not how this works," Kaiba said. "What we think doesn't matter. We're not the ones judging you."

Paradox aimed a glare at the Regent that would have sent a smaller person running. "Oh really?" he hissed. "Then you admit to using the Shadows."

"We never denied it," Kaiba countered, unmoved. "After all, it was them you tried to wipe out through genocide."

"Genocide?" Paradox repeated in disbelief. "Of a mass of twisted creatures that should never have existed in the first place?"

"My second question," Motou said, snapping Paradox's attention back to him. "Why did you want to destroy the Shadow Realm?" His voice was gentle, almost pleading for an answer.

"Because it's a blemish that needs to be removed," Paradox said hatefully. "All it does is cause death and destruction. You know what destroyed my world?" he demanded, yellow-green eyes alight and less than sane. "A light so dangerous it obliterated everything."

Motou's entire demeanor tensed in surprise. "A light?" he breathed.

"It blazed and burned away at the earth's surface like a wildfire without flames. It lasted for only a few seconds, but by then many people and plants were dead, scorched to death," Paradox continued. "Then a darkness that was thick and suffocating covered the entire planet, drowning out the sunlight and dropping the global temperature by one degree Centigrade."

He sniffed. "That may not seem like much but it plunged the world into an ice age that we weren't prepared for. The darkness lasted for weeks. Plants died without the sunlight, reports of depression and suicides skyrocketed. By the time the darkness receded, a large part of the human race had been culled like cattle. Shadows came alive and devoured people in the streets. Monsters appeared and slaughtered the true innocents. With food and resources running low, humans resorted to cannibalism just to survive."

"But that isn't the worst of it, oh no." Paradox drew himself up and Yusei saw a sparkle of what could be a tear in a pollen colored eye. "Then the earth opened up. Powerful earthquakes ripped countries apart and long slumbering volcanoes woke without warning. Lake Toba and Yellowstone as well as many other volcanoes all erupted at the same time dropping the global temperature by almost two degrees Centigrade tossing the few remaining human populations into chaos. It took years of searching and experimenting before I was able to replicate those disasters in other realities."

"Replicate..." Yusei gasped.

"You...?" Yugi breathed, shuddering from both his own horror and that of the spirit.

"Do you know what the cause was, little King?" Paradox asked, his voice sickly sweet as his eyes bore into Motou. "It was the Shadows reacting to the imbalance of Light and Dark. By stopping the Dark, the Light ran rampant obliterating life and burning all things organic and not. By stopping the Light, the Dark drowned the world in eternal, starless night killing through insanity and decay. By stopping the Balance, there was nothing to hold the Dark and Light in check," he snickered. "So the Shadows did as they pleased: killing, destroying, burning in absolute chaos. Until my world was nothing but a smoldering rock covered in ash and glaciers and a dying race. _You_ killed us," he declared, pointing at Motou. "You and your Shadows. Shadowmancers are the bane of humankind and if I have to kill every last one of you to destroy your despicable Shadow Realm to save my world, then I'll do it! Again and again. As _often_ as I have to."

No one spoke. Yusei knew Paradox had been trying to wipe out Duel Monsters to save his world from some catastrophe, but he had no idea...

A metallic clink echoed in the silence.

Yusei felt the comforting warmth enveloping him fade, giving way to sadness. He vaguely realized he should probably be crying, but he wasn't. Something held back the sadness, just barely.

"I'm sorry," Motou whispered. "I'm so, so sorry." Tear trails on his cheeks sparkled weakly in the golden glow. "I had no idea."

"Nevertheless," the Pharaoh said, "you still murdered people who had no hand in the destruction of your world."

Motou bowed his head, composing himself. When his lifted his face again, it was resigned. "My last question is this," he said softly. "Were you aware of the ramifications if you succeeded in destroying the Shadow Realm?"

"Yes," Paradox replied curtly. "My time would be saved at the expense of yours."

"Not so," Kaiba said, his voice uncharacteristically quiet. "By destroying the Shadow Realm, you destroy the chance for those humans with broken souls to live. The multiverse would drift apart until each stood on their own. Without the Shadows, souls would be incomplete, the balance of powers would crumble, and the fate of humanity would be sealed."

He crossed his arms and tilted his head. "The connection between humans and the Shadows in symbiotic in nature. However, if one side abuses the other, the symbiosis can become parasitic. If one of the two halves is gone entirely, then the remaining half would survive but not for long. Without the protection and aid offered by the dead half, the remaining half would drive itself into an early grave."

"Instead of hunting us down and destroying the Shadow Realm," Kaiba said, his voice gaining a cruel edge to it, "why didn't use your energy to figure out why the Dark, Light, and Balance destroyed your world to begin with? If you found out why that happened, then you could saved us a lot of trouble."

"Yeah," Jounouchi said. "Somethin' like that wouldn't o' happened 'nless some serious shit went down. Like killing us."

"Which is exactly what I was..." Paradox stilled, falling to his knees in realization.

"Yes," the Pharaoh said. "That is exactly what you were doing. Who's to say you didn't cause the destruction of your time and place. We may never know what happened. But we can work to prevent it from happening. Nothing in the future is ever really written in stone."

Another metallic clink.

"You have been found guilty," Motou said, closing his eyes in defeat. "It falls to me to cast your Penalty Game."

Yami stiffened. _:Penalty Game?:_

"Which I refuse to cast," Motou said.

"Don't be a fool, Yugi," Kaiba snapped furiously. "If you don't cast one, I will."

Motou held up a hand to silence his friend. "I refuse to cast the Penalty Game because I leave to the Shadows themselves to do so. Unless," he looked to his Pharaoh and Regent, "one of you wishes to offer mercy."

"The hell I will," Kaiba hissed.

The Pharaoh studying his Ba's face, before sighing and bowing his head. "Although I understand his pain," he said, "I cannot in good conscience offer mercy."

"Then I offer it," Motou said, surprising the group.

He stepped into the golden prison and approached Paradox. He too knelt and placed his hands on Paradox's cheeks, lifting the guilty man's face so their eyes could meet.

"You will not die today," Motou said. "Like the Pharaoh cannot in good conscience offer you mercy, I cannot in good conscience give you a death Penalty." He ran a thumb over Paradox's cheek and smiled tenderly. "You will keep your life," he said. "You will live long and well. But," his smile became sorrowful, "for this to happen, a price must be paid. I can take the memories of the death and destruction you have both witnessed and committed. You will forget your name and life before this point. You will never remember these things except in your darkest of nightmares. If you accept this Penalty, then you will live. Please accept it," he begged. "It is all I can offer."

Yusei grimaced. "That's..."

"Too merciful if ya ask me," Jounouchi grumbled.

"For once, I agree with the mutt," Kaiba said.

"What kind if mercy is that?" Judai grumbled.

* * *

 

Paradox gazed down into the young King's gentle, pleading eyes, and _hated_ it. "Curse you," he breathed.

The King's eyes, so open and naïve, showed hurt and rejection. Paradox couldn't take it anymore. He reached up with both hands and locked his fingers around Motou's neck, squeezing it tightly.

"Aibou!"

"Yug'!"

"King!"

"Motou!"

"I would rather die," he spat in the young King's stunned face. He took pleasure in the way pale cheeks flushed and small hands scrabbled at his own large hands hoping to alleviate the pressure. "But at least I can take one of you with me. Then part of what I set out to do will be completed. If I destroy the Light then the Dark will soon follow." He wrestled the boy to the ground beneath him so he could put all his weight into his hands, crushing the King's windpipe. "And everyone knows there can be no Balance if there isn't anything to balance in the first place."

Because the Judgement Game was cast and headed by the King, neither the Regent nor the Pharaoh could intervene. Although Jounouchi was the Knight of the Light Triad, he, like Yusei, Judai, and this world's Yugi, had only been summoned as a witness. Thus even Jounouchi could not interfere either. The young King was alone.

The Pharaoh roared and slammed his fists against the golden barrier separating him from his partner and Paradox. Kaiba was hollering all manner of curses that Jounouchi would be proud of and doing the same thing. But there was nothing they could do.

"Aibou!" the Pharaoh cried.

* * *

 

He couldn't breathe. He should have seen this coming, but he had hoped... He had _believed_ it wouldn't. His heart was breaking. His vision was tunneling. He couldn't breathe.

 _They_ wouldn't stand for this. He was _theirs_ and they did _not_ share.

The King convulsed, gasping breathlessly as the Shadows inundated his body, setting his nerves alight and his blood pounding. They were _his_ , and he was _theirs_. They were Light and they would _not_ lose their King.

Yugi knew he was no longer in control of his own body. The possession simultaneously terrified him and thrilled him. The Shadows, _his_ Shadows, his _Light_ were coming to his defense.

But the Light was still Shadows and the Shadows do not know mercy.

One of his hands stopped scraping at Paradox's fingers still clamped around his next and lift. A single finger touched his assailant's forehead directly between the eyes. His mouth opened under _their_ control and one choked word escaped, broken and half garbled, from his air deprived mouth. A word that filled him with despair and relief.

" _Rai...ge...ki._ "


	50. Prodigals' Return

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Yugi is distressed, those who were lost return, Pegasus is back, and gladiators should stay away from lions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** I sincerely apologize for the delay. I've had a rough past few weeks. Long story short, I broke up with my fiancé and lost the desire to write for a while. Well, not the desire exactly. I wanted to write, I just...couldn't. Impromptu writer's block courtesy of emotions. That said, I'm doing better now so here's the long overdue update. Sorry it's a bit shorter than I typically prefer.
> 
>  **Side note:** To anyone playing Pokémon Go, stay safe and choose Team Mystic! I'm level 15 and absolutely hooked to this game. Oh my lord. Everyone here in Athens, GA, is wandering around downtown and UGA's north campus hunting pokemon and taking over gyms. Literally, almost everyone. I've walked over 10 miles over the past several days catching pokemon, leveling up, and hatching eggs. It's awesome. ...I'm a little afraid of my data bill at the end of the month though. ^^; Oh, and remember, it's just a game. Team Harmony reigns supreme. Instinct, Mystic, and Valor are rivals, not enemies.

The resulting burst of light was blinding and final. There was no scream. There was no sound at all. Just light. Bright, blinding light. When it faded, there was nothing left of Paradox, not even a whisper. The duel disk he'd had on his right arm was lying singed and crunched on the ground, cards spilling haphazardly out the graveyard slot across the stones of the plaza.

The Light of the Judgement Game was gone as well leaving only sunlight, the dull roar of the ocean, and the young King's hungry gasps of air behind. The moment the golden barrier separating the Pharaoh from his beloved partner dropped, Yami dove blindly for the center of what had been the Judgement Game. Once his eyes had recovered from the overwhelming brightness, he located Yugi lying still on the stone.

"Aibou!" he cried. He gathered Yugi in his arms and held him close, not at all liking the glazed expression on Yugi's face. "Aibou, look at me," he pleaded. He tilted Yugi's face over so he could look directly into those violet eyes he loved so much. If only those eyes would focus and look at him. "Aibou. Yugi, please."

"Yami?"

He couldn't fight the smile of relief from stretching across his face when he heard his Ba's soft voice. But it quickly vanished when he noticed the sparkling fear in Yugi's eyes and the tears begin to flow down his cheeks towards his reddening throat.

"I didn't do it," Yugi said, shaking his head weakly. "It wasn't me. I didn't do it. I wanted to save him. Yami," Yugi reached up and grabbed the Pharaoh's collar, "they did it. They wanted to save me. They killed him. Oh Ra. They killed him using me."

Yugi buried his face in the Pharaoh's chest and began weeping, each sob shaking his thin body. There was nothing Yami could do but hold the little King as he cried and try to make sense of his partner's broken sentences in both Japanese and hieratic. He lifted his eyes to his Regent who stood still, a look of stunned comprehension on his face.

"What happened?" Yami demanded with as much authority as he could muster.

Kaiba jerked, focusing his full attention on the Pharaoh. He swallowed, his ice blue eyes flickering back to Yugi before returning to Yami's burning crimson. "He... They, ah..."

Yami narrowed his eyes, unnerved by his Regent's uncharacteristic stuttering.

"They what? Who are 'they'?" the Pharaoh said, aiming a glare at Kaiba. "What happened? Yugi would never do that."

"I, uh... He didn't," Kaiba said. He heaved a sigh looking very much like a lost child trying to understand why his parents weren't ever coming back. "The Shadows did it through him. They...took over and acted in his defense."

"What?" Yami gasped, dropping his gaze to Yugi who still clung to him. "How is that possible? That Shadows can't just possess-"

"They can," Kaiba snapped, beginning to regain control. "This isn't the first time I've seen it happen." His eyebrows furrowed. "It happened in the other reality when I went to get Mokuba and Helios back. They... I had an attack and-"

"An attack?" Yami asked, stiffening.

Kaiba hissed a warning. "I nearly lost my soul," he said. "The Shadows held me in place, yanked Arrow into them, and forced all of us to Travel back to my Sorceress and Green Lantern."

"Why didn't you tell me this before?" Yami gasped, dumbfounded.

"Because it wasn't exactly in the forefront of my mind at the time," Kaiba said coldly. "I was too busy trying not to fall asleep on my feet."

Yami shook his head, having trouble believing all of this. "How is this even possible?"

"Clearly they're more sentient than we gave them credit for," Kaiba said, shifting his feet to a more comfortable stance. His shoulders, however, remained tense. "Not to mention more possessive."

"Woah," Jounouchi murmured. "I'm not sure how I feel about all this."

"Um, who is this 'they' you're all talking about?" Yugi's voice asked.

Both Yami, Kaiba, and Jounouchi stiffened and spun to their audience. "Damn," the Jounouchi muttered. "I forgot they were here."

"What the hell was that?" Judai demanded furiously.

"Yeah," Yusei said suspiciously, his eyes wide and slightly glazed. "What happened?"

"Yeah, and don't lie!" Judai warned.

Yami pressed his lips together firmly and held Yugi's still shaking body close. "We'll discuss this later," he said, moving to stand. He was careful to make sure his arms never left there place around his partner's back.

"No." The Pharaoh's eyes narrowed at the voice he recognized as his own but not. "We'll discuss this now."

However, before he could voice a response, his Regent spoke up in his usual unflappable manner. "Unless you want to spend more time in the Shadow Realm even though one of your friends is clearly still injured, then we'll discuss this later. Oh and by the way," he said, his eyes glacial cold, "you have no power over us. We don't answer to you. I suggest you remember that."

"Woah," Jounouchi said. "Dude, man calm down. Yug' -damnit!- _Mouto_ needs t' get outta here."

"Jounouchi's right," the Pharaoh said. "He's still supportin' this Field Spell."

"I'm fine," the King murmured, pushing himself away from the Pharaoh's embrace.

He couldn't back up very far before his partner's arms tightened, preventing him from slipping away. He placed a reassuring hand on his Ka's chest and used it to support himself as he pulled the Field Spell back. He closed his eyes so the warping and stretching of this piece of the Shadow Realm shrank and returned to its summoner in the form of a Field Spell card that materialized in Yugi's free hand.

"There," he sighed as he allowed his power to fade away. He tucked the card back into his Deck holster. "I'll be okay. Eventually."

"Yug'," Jounouchi said soberly, his face grim, "buddy, I don't think I ever told you, but your a bad liar."

Yugi's shoulders hunched as if the young King was trying to fold in on himself. It bothered Yusei in a way he couldn't explain. Something inside him just outright rejected the sight of the Yugi look-a-like looking so defeated.

"Hey," Yusei said, stepping forward and resting a comforting hand on Motou's shoulder, drawing his attention. "It's alright. I know you didn't mean to do it," he said. He _did_ know it wasn't Motou's fault. It was some sort of intuition. "Even if you did," he added gently, "you would have been acting in self defense. He was trying to kill you and we couldn't get to you to help. It... I'm sorry about that, by the way." His gaze dropped when Motou's violet eyes softened curiously. "I couldn't really think straight back there. I just...froze up."

"You were overwhelmed by the Light," Kaiba said, uncrossing his arms and striding over to the ruined duel disk. "That much Light around you was probably intoxicating."

"What?" Yusei asked, confusion evident in his expression. "What do you mean?"

"He means that Light," Judai said, his eyes still narrowed in distrust. "I've fought something like it before."

"You have?" the Yugi from this reality asked with interest.

"Yeah." Judai glared at this reality's King of Games. "It possessed my friends and tried to wipe us out for no reason."

"Look man," Jounouchi said, shooting a warning glare at the younger duelist, " _that_ Light and _this_ Light are different, kay? Just cause they look alike don't mean they're the same."

"Doesn't," Kaiba muttered.

"Who asked you, rich boy grammar Nazi?" Jounouchi snarled.

"Oh yeah? Then- Ow! WHAT THE HECK?!" Judai cried, rubbing his now throbbing head.

Jounouchi cracked his knuckles. "Listen kid. I don't know you, but I bet I could whup yer butt to the moon 'n back without breakin' a sweat. You mess with Yugi, you mess with me. Now lay off."

Kaiba ignored the posturing in favor of digging through the cards scattered around the stone plaza. None of them were his stolen Blue Eyes. His brows drew low over his eyes in growing frustration. He snatched the duel disk up and pressed the graveyard release button to free the cards still in the graveyard slot, but nothing happened. The faintest hint of fear began gnawing at his gut. What if she was gone for good?

He lifted the damaged duel disk and slammed it viciously on the ground, cracking off the fanned arm extending out for the cards on the field. Nothing.

 _"Where is she?!"_ he roared, manhandling the duel disk so he had a good grip on it. He braced it on the ground and pulled the bent metal until it squealed in protest, ripping apart so the cards in the graveyard slot finally fell out. Immediately, he dropped the mangled metal and sorted through the Duel Monsters cards.

"Kaiba!" cried Yugi. Kaiba didn't bother to think about which.

"Shit! My Red Eyes!" Jounouchi said, joining Kaiba on the ground.

Kaiba ignored the voices when a flash of white and blue caught his eyes mixed in with the dark swirls distinctive of the backs of Duel Monsters cards and the colors of the other dragons from the Bastard's accursed Deck. He snatched the card from the pile and, sure enough, it was his Blue Eyes. But it wasn't right. It was distorted and...

Fading.

"No," he breathed, feeling his stomach drop. Where-?

A soft blue glow emanated from his side, startling him. He looked down at his Deck still securely in its holster. The now blank card slipped from his fingers which found themselves scrabbling for the holster's catch. He managed to lift the cover and pull out the glowing card.

It was Kisara's card. He just knew it was. His hand shook as numb fingers pulled the single slip of paper out of the Deck and held it up to his face. There, glowing in the cool, comforting light that was as pure as her soul, was his Blue Eyes White Dragon. His Kisara had returned to him.

"Red Eyes! You're back!" Jounouchi whooped, raising his fist in a rock on gesture victoriously.

Kaiba ignored it. Everything faded into the background. There was only Kisara. A heartbreakingly familiar rumble reverberated through his mind, filling his soul room and warming his heart. She was back. She had returned to him. She was home.

"Kisara," he murmured, unable to tear his eyes away from her form lovingly depicted on the card.

_:Seto.:_

Kaiba stiffened. What...? Was that...? How...?

"Kaiba!"

He blinked back to the present and noticed a helicopter on the ground not too far from his position, the engine whirring down as it was turned off. How had he missed that? The helicopter's side door slid open revealing an elegant interior disturbingly plain next to the flamboyant presence stepping out of the compartment. The glaring red suit and long white hair was distinctive of only one person. Maximillion Pegasus.

Pegasus took in the tableau of exhausted duelists in front of him with a mild gaze. However, his lone brown eye narrowed as he approach the group. Then he smiled. "Well, well, two Yugi-boys. It must be my lucky day," he said in his obnoxious voice. "And even Yami-boy came out to join us. I consider myself blessed." He chuckled.

Kaiba got to his feet, clutching his safely returned Blue Eyes White Dragon card protectively to his chest his eye. Unfortunately, the movement caught Pegasus' unwanted attention. The smile became a hungry smirk.

"Even Kaiba-boy came out to see little ole me," Pegasus continued, tossing his long, lustrous hair over one shoulder. "Come to pay back your debt to me, hm?"

"Debt?" Kaiba repeated, at a loss.

"Yo," Jounouchi said, pointing at Pegasus. "Call me crazy, but ain't you dead?"

"Not in this world, no," Yami said, standing close to his partner.

"World?" Yusei asked, eyeing the Pharaoh strangely. "What do you mean by 'this world'?"

"You aren't from the future, are you?" this world's Yugi asked suspiciously.

The young King shook his head. "No, we're not," he said aloud. He pressed a hand to his head, grimacing slightly.

Kaiba noticed the move, and so did Jounouchi surprisingly enough. The proximity to Yugi's counterpart in this world must be taking a toll on the young King.

"That Blue Eyes and Red Eyes," this world's Yugi said hesitantly. "They were from another world?"

"The Bastard stole her from me after he tried to murder me and my brother," Kaiba snarled, slipping his recovered Blue Eyes card back into his Deck where it belonged.

"Did a number on your house too," Jounouchi added with a smirk, earning him a glare. The blonde ignored it in favor of aiming a serious look at Pegasus. "The Bastard shot Yugi too. Damn near killed him." His gaze dropped and his shoulder shook with pent up fury. "And stole my Red Eyes when I summoned him to fight back."

"It wasn't your fault, Jounouchi," Yugi said gently, resting a hand on his taller friend's arm.

"Wait, he tried to _kill_ you?" Judai gasped, reeling back in shock.

"Yes, yes, while this is all very interesting," Pegasus said loudly, drawing everyone's attention back to him, "there's still the matter of your debt, King." He grinned that same slimy grin that sent snakes crawling up Kaiba's spine and screamed at his senses to drop everything and run. "Kaiba-boy," Pegasus sang, "I believe there's someone you need to introduce me to. Isn't that right?"

Kaiba's mind raced, trying to recall what... He knew. The color drained from his face followed closely by heat and fury. "Go fuck yourself asshole," he hissed viciously.

Pegasus just waggled a finger at him and clucked patronizingly. "Such bad manners," Pegasus drawled. "And in front of minors, no less."

"Hey," this world's Yugi groaned. "I'm not that short."

Judai awkwardly raised a finger. "Actually, I'm a minor in this country," he said. "But, I've heard worse so carry on."

Pegasus shook his head. "Well since my convention seems delayed due to a sudden thunderstorm," he winked, "and my equipment-"

"You mean KaibaCorp's equipment," Kaiba snapped.

"-was damaged by a...lightning strike, shall we say," Pegasus continued with a wry grin, "why don't you and I have a little chat, Kaiba-boy."

"Go to hell."

"My people will get to work cleaning up the area while we get down to business." Pegasus held out a hand in an invitation that Kaiba would die before accepting. "So, as the spider once said, come into my layer."

"Fuck you."

"Regent," Yugi said, yanking Kaiba's attention to him. Glacial blue eyes, cold with fury, met soft violet filled with sympathy and steely resolution. "A deal's a deal. You know that." Kaiba held his ground, narrowing his gaze. "It was the only way he would make Kisara's card for you," Yugi said.

Kaiba visibly shook, his eyes flickering between Pegasus, his enemy and soul thief, and his King and Pharaoh. Yugi was right. A deal was a deal. Already, he could feel the Shadows slinking around his ankles, attempting to urge him forward. He considered his options.

He could run, but the Shadows would continue to urge him to fulfill his end of the deal; a deal he never agreed to but was made without his input or permission. Or he could give in and follow Pegasus into the helicopter's compartment. They would be alone, no witnesses, no one to overhear. Just Kaiba and Pegasus. The thought alone was terrifying.

He stiffened when Kisara grumbled in his mind, then his shoulders drooped. Reluctantly, he straightened. "You'll pay for this," he said to his King and Pharaoh, refusing to acknowledge their almost identical wince. "Both of you."

Without another word, he strode forward to join Pegasus. The millionaire smiled and reached out to shake Kaiba's hand. "Touch me and I'll murder you," Kaiba hissed, walking right past Pegasus and climbing into the helicopter.

"Prickly much?" Pegasus said. He shrugged and pulled out his phone to make a quick call. He'd have to work fast if this convention was going to continue. Which it would if he had anything to say about it. "Yugi," he called to the group of duelists still outside. "Not the King, but _my_ Yugi," he clarified when two sets of near identical eyes met his. "You might want to clean up that mess and take cover. I doubt it would make sense to most people if there were suddenly three of you."

"Three of...oh!" This world's Yugi jolted. "Right. Um." He bit his lip and scanned the area for someplace to hide. "That tent's still standing."

"Right behind you," Jounouchi said with a friendly salute.

"I expect an explanation when we get there," Yugi said to the young King.

The King wilted. "I'll tell you what I can, but..." He hesitated. "Some things are better left unsaid."

"First question," Judai said, raising his hand. He pointed to the helicopter just as Pegasus climbed into the compartment and slid the door shut. "What's up with the whole 'Yugi-boy' and 'Kaiba-boy' thing? I mean, was it just me, or does that not sound a little creepy?"

Yugi flushed, ducking his head when the Industrial Illusions emoloyees areived for mess controlz

"Put it this way, kid," Jounouchi said as they walked towards the tent. "You familiar with gladiators?"

"Uh, you mean like men fighting lions in the Coliseum?" Yusei asked curiously.

"Yeah," Judai said. "We do still have movies when I come from, you know."

Yusei glanced at Judai in mild amusement. "Don't you mean history books?"

Judai shrugged and waved Yusei's words aside. "Boring," he drawled. "Good sleeping class though." Yusei coughed a laugh, not sure whether to be amused or appalled by that answer.

"Anyway," Jounouchi said, stopping that rabbit trail from going any further, "let's jus say the gladiator is a piece of fresh meat to a hungry lion, yeah?"

Yusei blinked in confusion, then paled in understanding. He glanced back over his shoulder, suddenly uncomfortable with the thought of leaving Kaiba alone with Pegasus. He barely knew Kaiba, but no one deserved...that.

"I don't get it," Judai said after a minute.

This time it was the Yugi of this world who replied. "Kaiba is the meat to Pegasus' hungry lion," he said.

Judai's mouth formed a small 'oh' and his eyes widened. "Kay. Second question," he said, trying to change the topic to something less awkward. "That Light that you used to killed Paradox," he said seriously, "what was it?"


	51. Resolving a Deal, Almost

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Kaiba is the gladiator to Pegasus' lion and Seth is the distracting toy. Oh boy...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** I...am ashamed. I am so sorry for not updating this in so long. I promise it wasn't intentional. Life happened and then I graduated and then I started working on my thesis proposal and then I stumbled on this little show called _Voltron: Legendary Defender_ and embarked on yet another series that became a monster. That has successfully gobbled up my life and time to the point I've been updating the Voltron series _Warmth_ practically every single day (literally) since I started it in September.
> 
> I kept wanting to update this fic, but every time I tried, I couldn't push anything out. I felt like the fic was fighting me. Then I sat down and spit out 2,000 words towards this chapter today while at work and realized something: I always wrote the chapters for this series during the day and the chapters for the _Warmth_ series in the evening/night. The overall atmosphere of this series is fairly light in comparison to the _Warmth_ series. So, as a metaphor, by trying to write this fic at night, I was essentially trying to write a happy, go-lucky, fluffy fic (over-exaggeration) during a dark, oppressive point in my life. Not literally, but metaphorically. 
> 
> I struggle to write chapters for _Warmth_ during the day for the same metaphorical reason in reverse. Thing is, I work every single day and alternate between working and taking classes all day when the semester is in session. Last semester was tough. So I haven't had much free time during the day. I promise to do my best to change that and I'm starting with this chapter.. I hope you all can forgive me.
> 
> That said, I hope you all had a Merry Christmas and will have a Happy New Year. My New Year's resolution is to pick this back up. I will _**not**_ fail!

The compartment of the helicopter was soft, padded leather that was light tan in color. It was nicer than the KaibaCorp helicopters. Kaiba kept his helicopters functional first, comfortable second. This helicopter was comfortable first and functional second. How typical of Pegasus.

“So good of you to join me, Kaiba-bo-”

“Cut the crap, Pegasus,” Kaiba snapped, crossing his arms over his chest. He kicked his right leg over his left and pressed his back against the back of the compartment. “Let’s get this over with, so I don’t have to see your ugly mug any longer than I absolutely have to.”

“I’m offended,” Pegasus said. “I thought my company was the best of the best.” When Kaiba just glared at the business mogul, Pegasus rolled his eyes. “Oh, very well. Hand it over,” he said, holding out his hand.

Kaiba blinked, looking down at Pegasus’ hand in mild confusion. “Hand what over?” he demanded.

“The card you managed to make all by yourself, of course,” Pegasus said with a grin. “That was part of the deal, after all. I make a copy of the card you made and give it to this world’s version of you.”

Kaiba hesitated, but Pegasus was right. A deal was a deal, and no amount of not wanting it to be real would stop the Shadows from forcing him to comply if he tried refusing. A deal was essentially a promise. If Kaiba refused to keep up his end of the bargain, even though he had no hand in the original agreement, the Shadow would force him to comply.

Reluctantly, he rolled his eyes and reached into his Deck holster, opening it and pulling out the requested card when it came to his call. He fingered it before handing it out to Pegasus. The millionaire hummed thoughtfully as he took the offered card.

“Fascinating,” Pegasus murmured. “Are you always able to draw the card you want without actually looking through your deck?”

Kaiba glared, but it wasn’t a question that required spilling state secrets. Besides, Kaiba was fairly certain that if the Yugi of this world was anything even remotely like the King, then this phenomenon wasn’t that unusual.

“Yes,” he answered in a gruff voice that effectively communicated both his annoyance of the situation and his derision of the man in front of him.

Not surprisingly, Pegasus took no offense. He merely chuckled and turned the card over to study its face. The title of the card named the Monster ‘Kaibaman.’ It wasn’t exactly the name Kaiba would have given a Monster had he actually thought about it, but he couldn’t find it offensive either. Kaibaman was a level three, Light oriented Monster with two hundred attack points and seven hundred defense points. It was a Warrior type Monster with an Effect that Kaiba found particularly appealing.

“I’m not surprised you would create a card that ties to your Blue Eyes White Dragon,” Pegasus said wryly, lifting his lone eye to Kaiba with a grin. “You made it so you can tribute this card to Special Summon a Blue Eyes from your hand. Your obsession with that dragon of yours is almost more intriguing than Yugi’s preoccupation with his Dark Magician.”

Kaiba rolled his eyes and glanced out the helicopter window. People in black suits were running around the square righting anything that had been tossed aside, removing or temporarily fixing anything that had been damaged, and making the location ready for the coming convention once more. It irked Kaiba because the speed and efficiency of Pegasus’ men were impressive. If there was one thing Kaiba could not find fault in, it was Pegasus’ ability to recover from a stumble without batting his one, deplorable eye.

Pegasus snickered. “It even looks like you,” he said, flipping the card around so the Monster on faced Kaiba. “Granted, Kaibaman has more muscle than you, and longer hair, _red_ hair too.” He turned the card back to himself and continued observing the Monster’s appearance and characteristics, locking them in his memory for later reproduction. “Did you do that deliberately?” he asked suddenly. “The hair, I mean?”

“No,” Kaiba bit out after a moment’s hesitation. “It took all my concentration to make it. The fact it looks like me is an improvement, at least.”

“Your arrogance knows no bounds, Seto,” Pegasus said, laughing gaily.

 _“Don’t_ call me that,” Kaiba snapped angrily aiming a vicious glare at the business mogul.

Unaffected as usual, Pegasus merely smiled and took one more look at the card. “I have to admit,” he said, handing the card back to Kaiba who took it readily, “having the helmet resemble the Blue Eyes White Dragon’s head was a nice touch. Let me guess, you were a little preoccupied with your dragon lover at the time?”

Kaiba grimaced, realizing too late that doing so had all but answered Pegasus' question. Annoyed with his slip, the Regent stuffed the card back into his Deck and draped his trench coat over it possessively. The move did not go unnoticed by Pegasus who smirked.

“You really are the same.”

“The same as what?” Kaiba demanded.

“My Kaiba, of course,” Pegasus said with a shrug. “Not exactly the same, granted. But the resemblance in more than appearance is astonishing to say the least. So,” he sat up suddenly and crossed his legs, deliberately mirroring Kaiba’s position, “I believe you have something else to show me?”

He did, and he would murder both the King and the Pharaoh for making him do this. He bought time by forcing himself to take a slow, deep breath to calm his nerves. _:Seth, are you ready for this?:_ he asked.

 _:No,:_ Seth replied. _:But yes.:_

 _:Don’t let him touch you,:_ Kaiba warned.

When he felt Seth nod in his mind, Kaiba aimed a glare at Pegasus and waited. He would have known the moment Seth materialized without his connection to his other half. The way Pegasus’ lone eye grew wide and lit with an unholy light made Kaiba desperately want to yank Seth back into the depths of his soul room. If he thought he could get away with it, Kaiba would have ripped out Pegasus’ remaining eye just to get rid of that leer. Since he couldn’t get away with it, he just seriously considered it.

* * *

 

“Well I’ll be damned,” Pegasus said, staring at the apparition in front of him. He leaned forward, resting an elbow on his knee as he studied the spirit. “You aren’t what I thought you’d be,” he said. “Although, after seeing Yami, I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised.”

When Yami mentioned Seth, he’d implied Seth was the similar to him. The only difference was that Yami was a Ka and Seth was a Ba. Pegasus was no stranger to the parts of the soul in Egyptian mythos. He’d be a fool to be unaware. The Ib was the heart, figuratively and literally. The Sheut was the shadow, again figuratively and literally. The Ba was the physical part of the soul, the personality. The Ka was the spiritual part of the soul that gave life to the Ba, and the Ren was the name that bound everything as one. Together they were an Akh: full, whole, complete.

Missing a single piece of the soul, even something as seemingly insignificant as a name, would make the person incapable of passing on into the afterlife. For this reason, the Pharaoh had been unable to move on even after Yugi woke him from his slumber in the Millennium Puzzle. Without a name, he had nothing holding him together, no way of proving who he was. But it was more than that, wasn’t it? Or, at least, there was more to it in whatever alternate reality that Pharaoh and this Kaiba were from.

“What did you think I would be?” Seth asked, and again Pegasus was shocked.

Despite the obvious accent, Seth’s voice was nearly identical to Kaiba’s. Perhaps it was a bit more cultured and much more formal than Kaiba’s, but the pitch and intonation were definitely Kaiba’s. It startled a chuckle out of the millionaire.

“I meant no offense,” Pegasus said, waving away the death glare Kaiba was still aiming directly at him. “When I met your Yami-boy for the first time, he looked almost identical to Yugi-boy. His appearance was clearly heavily borrowed from your little King but he was taller and more imposing. Even if I didn’t have my connection to the Shadow Realm, there would be no way I would ever mistake him for Yugi-boy. You, however,” he said, fixing Seth with a calculating gaze that did not visibly disturb the spirit, “maintain the basics that tie you to Kaiba-boy here, but you seem to prefer your Egyptian appearance. Is there a reason for that?”

Seth tilted his head thoughtfully. “I did not awaken as early as the Pharaoh did,” he answered, choosing his words with care. “The Pharaoh woke with no memory of who he was or where he’d come from. He also had no basis for comparison so he mimicked the King’s current physical form. It wasn’t until later that he realized the King’s form was his own as well. However, he had grown accustomed to the form he’d worn for the past several years. So when he was forcefully separated during the Millennium Duel, he-”

“Millennium Duel?” Pegasus asked curiously. “You say that as if I should know what this is.”

Two pairs of ice blue eyes narrowed and glanced at each other. It was truly fascinating to watch. This was one of those time Pegasus dearly missed his ability to gaze into the minds of others. He was certain Kaiba and Seth were communicating telepathically, much like his own Yugi communicated with the spirit of his Millennium Puzzle. Kaiba’s face was a marble façade, unreadable and unmoving. But Seth…

Seth was clearly more open his emotions. His dark face was weighed down by trials and memories, but his gaze was clear and crystalline compared to Kaiba’s closed, frigid glare. There was a darkness to Kaiba’s gaze that wasn’t present in Seth’s. Kaiba dressed in clothes that made him seem larger than life. He announced his presence with his appearance and the way he carried himself.

Seth had no need to announce himself. He struck Pegasus as someone who preferred to observe from the sidelines and strike from the Shadows. Had Pegasus been a rat, Seth would be the panther to Kaiba’s lion. It was deceptively dangerous and raised the hackles on the back of Pegasus’ neck like Kaiba’s presence couldn’t.

A Ka and Ba indeed.

“What was the last serious duel your Yugi has played?” Seth asked cautiously.

“Against me,” Pegasus answered readily. “He’s planning on participating in KaibaCorp’s Battle City tournament in a month. This world’s version of you,” he said, shifting his gaze to Kaiba, “is an arrogant prick who enjoys stealing my limelight.”

“Then he’s doing his job,” Kaiba said sharply.

Pegasus scoffed and flipped his hair over his shoulder when it crept back into his vision. “I wonder if there’s a version of you in any reality that’s remotely tolerable,” he groaned.

“Over my dead body.”

“Yes, well we all know what that accomplishes, now don’t we?” Pegasus said. He tapped his fingers on his knee in mild annoyance. “Back to the subject at hand, this Millennium Duel?”

“It was the duel in which the King dueled the Pharaoh,” Seth explained.

“Oh, did he?” Pegasus asked, an eager spark in his eyes. “Do tell, who won?”

“I don’t know,” Seth answered, a sly smirk on his face.

Pegasus groaned and slumped back against his seat. “You’re more of a killjoy than Kaiba-boy is.”

“I take that as a compliment,” Seth said.

Despite himself, Pegasus chuckled. “Yes, I suppose you would,” he said. “I take it, Battle City has already taken place in your world.”

“It happened years ago,” Kaiba said.

“And my Yugi-boy,” Pegasus asked astutely, “he’s younger than yours, isn’t he?”

“By several years.”

Pegasus hummed. “Fascinating. So even the flow of time isn’t consistent between worlds. Makes me wonder what would be a constant in every world.”

“The Shadows,” Kaiba answered.

“Other than them, Kaiba-boy,” Pegasus said, waving away the Regent’s comment dismissively. “I meant something of scientific importance: time, space, Laws of Physics, etcetera. Magic very rarely takes the same form. I wouldn’t doubt even Shadowmancy varies between realities. The rules may be the same, but the use and format of Shadowmancy will most definitely vary.”

“Shadowmancy?” Seth asked, repeating the unfamiliar word.

“The use of Shadow magic,” Pegasus said, a secretive grin stretching across his face. “You’ve never heard that word before?”

“English is not my first language,” Kaiba said, glaring.

“No, I suppose it isn’t,” Pegasus said, practically preening. “Shadowmancy is the study and use of the Shadows. It’s not a common magical practice in fantasy books and games, but it isn’t uncommon either. The magic we use, the magic _you_ use, the manipulation of Shadows and souls using Shadows is Shadowmancy.”

Kaiba’s eyebrow twitched and he glanced briefly at Seth. Clearly the spirit had said something in Kaiba’s mind that amused the Regent. It irked Pegasus that he couldn’t listen in on that conversation. Well, if he couldn’t eavesdrop, then there was always the next best thing. Interrupt.

“But you were saying something about this Millennium Duel,” Pegasus said, tugging his two guests back to the conversation. He hated being left out. “I assume something happened during the duel which allowed Yugi-boy to duel the Pharaoh. You mentioned something about forceful separation?”

“The Shadows split them apart,” Kaiba said in a curt tone. “That was the first time he was able to manifest as a solid entity entirely separate from Yugi.”

“And he chose to remain a mirror image of his pet partner,” Pegasus purred. “I’m not necessarily surprised. Which brings us back to your form.” His brown eyes focused on Seth. “Why did you decide to resemble your previous incarnation and not your current? Although, I fully understand not wanting to look like an asshole.”

“I take that as a compliment,” Kaiba said, visibly pleased. “I would rather be an asshole than a necrophiliac.”

“Coming from you, that’s rich,” Pegasus said, shooting the Regent a poisonous glare. “Besides, I’m not a necrophiliac.”

“You loved your dead wife and tried to resurrect the woman by using souls because you were too dimwitted to move on with your life,” Kaiba said.

“Yes, the woman, not her corpse. And as if you’re any better, Seto,” Pegasus snapped.

“Don’t call me that,” Kaiba hissed.

“Obsessing over your Blue Eyes White Dragon because it’s your one and only link to the woman you lost in a previous life?” Pegasus said, ignoring Kaiba’s command. “Someone whose existence you couldn’t even remember?”

“At least I didn’t try to kill people to resurrect her,” Kaiba snarled.

“No?” Pegasus purred. “Did you not steal the Blue Eyes card belonging to Yugi-boy’s grandpa and rip it apart when it wouldn’t obey you?”

“Seto,” Seth said, gripping Kaiba’s arm when the Regent flinched.

Pegasus sneered when he noticed the move, smelling victory. “Of course you did. Before you start judging others for their actions, think on your own, Kaiba-boy.”

“I never killed anyone before that,” Kaiba argued. “I had no way of knowing my actions would harm the old man. It was a card.”

“Oh come now, Kaiba-boy, even then you knew the cards were more than that.” Pegasus rolled his eye and sniffed. “You aren’t stupid, Kaiba-boy. You may act stupid, like you are now, but you aren’t _actually_ stupid. Are you?” he needled, enjoying the way the Regent entire body twitched as Kaiba worked hard to hold back his temper. “Besides, we both know you’re a liar. Gozaburo didn’t just decide to try flying as an alternative to taking the elevator one day, did he?”

“That is enough,” Seth said. His words were spoken softly but had the razor sharp edge of a silk covered blade. “Hold your tongue, Pegasus, or I might just cut it out.”

“I doubt you would, my boy,” Pegasus said.

“Then that is your own folly,” Seth said. “Care to test your luck?”

Not particularly. Better to change the subject while he was ahead.

“In answer to your original question,” Seth said.

Or let someone else change the subject for him. That worked too.

“By the time I could fully manifest as I am now,” Seth said, “Seto had already regained the majority of his memories from his previous life on his own. I had no time to grow with him, to accept his current appearance as my own.”

“So you decided to stick with what you were familiar with,” Pegasus finished with a nod.

Seth nodded in return. “As you say,” he said.

Pegasus took a moment to think over what he was hearing. It was all fascinating. The fact this Kaiba was just as easy to rile up as this world’s Kaiba was something he found he enjoyed. However, there was something he noticed in the previous exchange that Pegasus decided deserved his attention.

“Are you the only one other than Mokuba that our little Kaiba-boy allows to call him ‘Seto’?” he asked with a cheeky grin. The resulting flush that flooded Seth’s cheeks was reward enough, despite the threats Kaiba visibly wanted to carry out. Just to be sure though. “Hurt me or kill me Kaiba-boy, and you won’t get any more cards,” Pegasus warned, waving a finger at the Regent playfully.

“You can still do art if your legs are broken,” Kaiba snarled. The boy looked every bit like he wanted to rip Pegasus’ throat out. So, why wasn’t he? What was holding him back?

“True,” Pegasus said. “But I would also be hospitalized and doctors tend to be rather unfriendly to art studios. Too much chance of getting paint on their expensive equipment.”

“They don’t have a problem with children doing it,” Kaiba hissed.

“Yes, well, children are an exception to many things, Kaiba-boy,” Pegasus said, a cold edge to his gaze. “You know that better than most.”

When the Regent flinched, Pegasus almost regretted the jab. Pegasus had looked into the mind of Kaiba Seto from his world and saw the truth of Kaiba Gozaburo. There seemed to be no significant apparent difference between worlds as far as Yugi and Kaiba were concerned, besides the acceptance of Shadow magic and the prevalence of superheroes. It would make sense if the Regent also suffered at the hands of Gozaburo.

Pegasus willingly admitted he had more than a few screws loose, but he wouldn’t be able to embrace the Shadows if this wasn’t true. Nevertheless, there was a difference between being slightly insane and abusing a child in the manner he suspected Gozaburo had. Pegasus had stolen people’s souls, but he would never stoop to something as despicable as-

“If there is nothing else,” Seth said, his voice intruding on Pegasus’ dark thoughts, “then I think it would be best if I retreated for the time being.”

“I do have one more question for you, Seth,” Pegasus said. “Both of you actually.”

Seth settled back in his seat, his hand resting on Kaiba’s thigh in a comforting manner. “We are listening,” he said.

“As I understand it, the Ka is the spiritual part of the soul and the Ba is the physical part,” Pegasus said, tapping his lips thoughtfully. “According to your Pharaoh, you, Kaiba-boy, are the Ka to Seth’s Ba.”

“This is true, yes,” Seth said.

“What of it?” Kaiba snapped.

“The Ba is always the part reborn in a physical body with the heart,” Pegasus continued. “The Ka finds the Ba and grants it a shadow to cast, a sign of the Ba’s connection to the spiritual world. The Ba and Ka remain separate but together throughout life on Earth, bound by the name that defines them. They only separate at the moment of death when the Ka flees leaving the Ba to follow. After the Judgement of Ma’at, the Ka and Ba reunite. If the proper funeral rites were performed, the Ba, Ka, and the other parts of the soul could form an Akh.”

“This is ridiculous,” Kaiba grumbled. “I’m already aware of all of this.”

Pegasus shrugged. “It just strikes me as odd that nature would have allowed something so backwards to occur,” he said.

The amusement Pegasus derived from watching Kaiba struggle with his desire to demand an explanation was positively sinful.

“What do you mean?”

Ah, so Seth wasn’t as standoffish as his modern counterpart.

“I mean,” Pegasus said, directing his reply to the spirit, “that the Ba is always the one reborn and the Ka always follows. This is a reliable fact, essentially one of the Laws, if you will, of the supernatural world. You, Kaiba Seto are a Ka, and you, Seth, are a Ba. So don’t you find it odd that you were reborn backwards when even the Pharaoh who removed his name and split his soul was reborn correctly?”

Both Kaiba and Seth stiffened in obvious surprise. Pegasus groaned.

“Oh dear,” he said. “It really never occurred to you?”

Seth bowed his head. “W-we never had any reason to doubt…” He pressed his lips together as he struggled with his words. “Kaiba was not aware I was a separate entity and not just the memories of Set, our former incarnation, until a year ago. Even then, he did not know he was a Ka until later.”

“I see,” Pegasus said, interlacing his fingers and resting them on his knees. “Well, now I can guarantee it won’t leave either or your minds until you’ve solved this little riddle. At least losing this game won’t result in the loss of your soul, I hope.”

This time, Pegasus found himself on the receiving end of two equally venomous glares. It was intimidating, but it hardly phased him. The Regent’s glares were perhaps a tad bit more impressive than this world’s Kaiba, simply because he had the magical power to back up his implied threats and not just money and economic power. Losing a soul was slightly more of a threat than losing his corporation. Even though they both felt just as bad.

Pegasus harrumphed and tossed his long hair over his shoulder when it tickled his cheek. “Now that I’ve given you something to mull over,” he began, “I believe you have one other thing to do before I consider our deal completed.”

Kaiba blinked and looked up at Pegasus, momentarily at a loss. He recovered faster than Seth, schooling his face to a calm, unreadable mask. Seth, however, remained just as confused as before.

“What do you mean ‘one more thing?’” Kaiba demanded, his temper held in check. “I’ve done everything I had to. The deal’s over.”

Pegasus merely lifted a perfectly waxed eyebrow. “Really?” he said. “And what about this,” he waved his hand, “Kisara person, hm? I assume your Yugi-boy has her card? That was the whole purpose of this meeting, after all. Payment for me creating that card for you.”

“I'm afraid I don't understand,” Seth said.

Pegasus leaned back in his cushioned chair, crossing his arms in disappointment. “Don’t tell me,” he grumbled. “Yugi-boy gave you the card, didn’t he?”

The momentary widening of Kaiba’s eyes an instant before they hardened was the tell Pegasus was looking for.

“He did, then,” Pegasus said.

That was frustratingly unexpected. Pegasus should have known Yugi’s bleeding heart would have caved, but he also knew the value Yugi put in a deal. The boy always kept up his end, no matter the price. The fact Yugi had failed in this was upsetting. True, the price wasn’t a lost soul or anything else quite so dramatic, but Pegasus wanted to see Kaiba’s reaction. He lived to see that frustratingly glacial expression crumble in the wake of emotion.

“In that case, it appears I have a bone to pick with your King.” Without another word, Pegasus stood and opened the door to his helicopter. He looked back over his shoulder when he stepped outside, the picture of impatience. “Are you coming, Kaiba-boy, or have you decided my company truly is superior to your own?”

Instantly, Kaiba hopped out of the helicopter and strode away without so much as a ‘thank you’ for holding the door or a ‘sorry’ for the blatant bump in the shoulder. Pegasus sniffed and closed the door, rolling his shoulder where Kaiba bumped him.

“Rude.”


	52. Shadows and Half-Baked Explanations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which some explanations are given, things get confusing, Yusei smells things, and Kaiba is mad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** Happy New Year y'all! This hasn't been thoroughly edited. I'll do that in the morning when I'm actually awake and fully functioning.

The young King ducked away from Judai’s gaze and stepped into the shadow of the large tent. He waited until everyone was safely under the tent away from anyone who could be watching. When Yusei stepped in last, Yami glanced outside to be sure they were alone aside from Pegasus’s helicopter. Satisfied, Yami let the tent flap drop shut and strode confidently past the group to his partner’s side offering what comfort he could from his presence alone.

“I didn’t kill Paradox,” Yugi said.

“I _saw_ you!” Judai said fiercely, bristling in visible fury. “You blew him to bits. You practically disintegrated him.”

“That wasn’t me,” Yugi said, staring pleadingly at the younger duelist. He turned his gaze to this world’s Yugi and then Yusei, desperately hoping to find support. “I swear it wasn’t me.”

“Don’ worry, Yug’,” Jounouchi said, walking up and placing a hand on his best friend’s shoulder. “I know it wa’n’t you. But geez, since when did the Shadows get so...” He struggled with words for a minute.

“Sentient, you mean?” the Pharaoh asked.

“Yeah, dat.”  

“I don’t understand,” this world’s Yugi said. “What do you mean the Shadows?” He glanced at his companions before returning his gaze to his alternate. “You’re me, aren’t you? Or you will be me? Or… Right? Then how are you… Why did you start a Shadow Game? Since when are you or I able to do that? _Why_ would I do that?”

“I’m not you,” Yugi said, shaking his head. “I never was and I never will be. I _am_ Motou Yugi, but I’m not _you_ Motou Yugi. I’m from another reality. Things aren’t the same there as they are here.”

“You’re tellin’ me,” Jounouchi grumbled, glancing back over his shoulder. “That douchebag Pegasus is still alive ‘ere.”

“What?” Yusei gasped. “He’s dead in your world?

“He has been for some time,” the Pharaoh said calmly. “He died when the Millennium Eye was taken from him.”

“The… The what now?” Judai asked. “And what does this Millennium Eyeball have to do with that light that killed Paradox?” He looked at his Yugi and noticed the haunted expression in his friend’s eyes. “Yugi?”

“That killed him?” Yugi gasped, cradling his Millennium Puzzle in both of his hands protectively.

“Good riddance, filthy bastard,” Jounouchi muttered, crossing his arms. He blinked when Yugi looked at him in horrified shock. “What?”

“You really aren’t my Jounouchi,” this world’s Yugi murmured, stumbling back from the blonde duelist.

Jounouchi flinched suddenly looking shy and vulnerable. He blinked and his eyes skipped up to the King in search of reassurance.

Yami sighed. “Like Yu- Motou told you before,” he said, gazing at his partner’s alternate and the other two duelists from this reality, “we aren’t from this reality. There are differences between realities, some drastic and others subtle.” His wine red gaze settled on the Millennium Puzzle dangling from Yugi’s neck. “One of those differences would be that the Millennium Items were banished from our world, returned to the Shadow Realm where they belong.”

“But then… How are you still here?” this world’s Yugi whispered, cautiously approaching the solid spirit standing next to his counterpart. “You’re bound to the Puzzle. If it-” He swallowed thickly. “If I lose you-”

“You don’t,” the Pharaoh said gently. “But it would be best if we didn’t touch.” He smiled sadly. “I’m no longer bound by the Puzzle in our reality but my self in this reality is; which means he’s in your mind right now.”

“He’s right,” the young King said sadly. “I’m sorry Y-Yugi, but we can’t touch you. The same matter can’t occupy the same space. It would cause a paradox.”

“I’m getting sick and tired of paradoxes,” Yusei muttered.

“’M right with ya there,” Jounouchi agreed.

* * *

 

Yusei wasn’t sure what to make of this. He’d traveled back through time to stop his era from going up in ash. He'd even literally crash landed into some of the most famous duelists to exist before him. Time travel he could accept; he’d experienced it firsthand. But dimensional travel? World hopping? A place where the Shadow Realm and Shadow Games weren’t evil?

“I don’t understand,” he said, looking at Motou. “If you’re from a different dimension-”

“Reality,” Motou corrected. “A different reality. Each reality has several dimensions which are much easier to go between because you aren’t leaving your host reality. As I understand it,” he said hesitantly, “moving between dimensions is like flipping through pages of a book. The book itself is an individual reality and each page is a separate dimension within that reality.”

“In order to move between realities,” the Pharaoh continued, “you would have to pick up an entirely different book with its own set of pages or dimensions. The library where these books or realities exist would be the Shadow Realm.”

Yusei paled and Judai shuddered. “Damn that thing,” Judai muttered. “Nothing good comes from the Shadows.”

“That’s not true!”

Both Yugis stared at each other in stunned disbelief when they realized they had spoken in unison.

“I hope you guys know that this is incredibly weird,” Yusei said, his eyes flicking between the two identical faces.

“Imagine it from my view,” Jounouchi said, nudging the duelist from the future. “I grew up wit' th' guy. It’s like watchin’ Yugi’s older self argue wit' 'is younger self.” He snickered. “It’s kin'a weird but kin'a 'dorable too, in a twisted sorta way.”

“Older?” Yusei asked. "They aren’t the same age?”

“Huh? Oh, hell no,” Jounouchi said, shaking his head at the absurd suggestion. “Look at ‘em. My Yug'’s clearly older than yers. I mean, he is. Right?”

“I’m sixteen,” Yugi said, eyeing his counterpart cautiously. “How old are you?”

Motou sighed and glanced at Yami before answering. “I’m twenty years old,” he said.

“Twenty?” Yugi cried.

“It would seem time is not a constant between realities,” the Pharaoh said, brushing his chin with his thumb thoughtfully. “That wasn’t something I expected.”

“But time is a dimension,” Motou said, turning his gaze to his dark partner. “I suppose it would make sense if the dimensions within a reality varied with the reality itself.”

The Pharaoh gave a noncommittal hum. “I suppose,” he said slowly. “I guess I never thought time would be considered a variable.”

“Well, it _is_ the fourth dimension,” Yusei said. "Doesn't time technically warp near a black hole?"

Both Motou and the Pharaoh stared at Yusei for a moment before Motou smiled. “It does,” he agreed. “I guess I forgot that.”

“Kaiba wouldn’t have,” the Pharaoh said, snickering when Motou nodded with a grimace. “He wouldn’t have let us forget it either.”

“Don’t talk about Rich Boy, please,” Jounouchi groaned. “I’m feelin’ sick enough as it is.”

Despite his hesitance and confusion, a smile still worked its way onto Yusei’s lips. The casual comfort displayed by Motou, the Pharaoh, and Jounouchi as they interacted spoke volumes of their relationship. It reminded him of his friends, his home, everything he left behind in the future.

He couldn’t wait to go back. He wanted to stay. There was so much he could learn from these people. But this wasn’t his home. This wasn’t even his time. He wanted to go back. He didn’t belong here. He could visit, but he couldn’t stay.

“What about the light?” Judai said, his brown eye boring holes into Motou. “You said that light was the Shadows. You started a Shadow Game and killed someone in it. How are you okay with that?”

Yusei winced at the accusation, but he couldn’t deny that it bothered him. Although, strangely, he didn’t feel as disconcerted as he thought he probably should have. That in and of itself was disturbing. He had personal experience with Shadow Games and they were never good experiences. So why was he not feeling the same fear he usually did? What was different?

“The light was the Shadows, yes,” Motou confirmed. “They reacted in my defense. If they hadn’t, then I wouldn’t have survived that.”

“And if Yugi had died, er...” The Pharaoh cleared his throat. “If _Motou_ had died, then I would have died with him. Kaiba is strong but even he can’t uphold the Balance forever. The strain of trying would have driven him insane if it didn’t just kill him.”

“But you haven’t explained how the Shadows or the light killed Paradox,” Judai insisted. “Did you steal his soul or something?”

Motou paled and looked away leaving the Pharaoh to answer. “No. As far as I could tell, his soul was intact when he died. He went to whatever hell would accept someone as twisted and despicable as he was.”

Jounouchi snorted. “Got off easy, if you ask me,” he groused.

“But I don’t understand,” Yugi said.

It took Yusei a second to realize Motou hadn’t been the one to speak. He turned to the Yugi who'd stood by him and dueled Paradox as an ally. The more time he spent in the presence of Yugi and Motou, Yusei was beginning to thoroughly separate the two in his mind.

Yugi was young, enthusiastic, and had the energy of someone who hadn’t seen the darkest humanity had to offer. Motou, however, had age etched into his face. He appeared young, but the weight of the years and experiences obviously left their mark on him. But there was more to it than that. There was an aura of power around Motou that calmed Yusei like a mother’s half-forgotten lullaby. It drew him in and soothed his fears and promised him everything was alright.

“Yusei?”

Yusei blinked and stumbled back, a bright blush coloring his cheeks. He had no idea he had gotten that close to Motou. He gasped and tried to recover what little dignity he had left.

“I…sorry,” he stuttered nervously. “I didn’t mean… I didn’t realize I’d-”

“Don’t worry yourself,” the Pharaoh said gently. “You didn’t do anything wrong. It’s actually endearing.”

Yusei blinked in surprise. The Pharaoh elbowed Motou and winked at him pulling a dark flush to Motou’s cheeks. For some reason, the action felt well used, familiar.

“Yami’s right,” Motou said, clearing his throat and trying hard to banish the blush from his face. “It’s to be expected. You’re a Light, a rather strong one actually. It’s only natural that you’re drawn to me.”

“But the light that killed Paradox,” Judai insisted. “Will anyone explain why that’s a _good_ thing?”

Jounouchi rolled his eyes. “It was the Spell _Raigeki,”_ he said. “The Shadows didn’ like some crazy Bastard tryin’ ta murder their King. So they possessed Yug’ to kill Paradox. At least,” he looked at Motou and the Pharaoh for confirmation, “that’s wha' I think happened.”

Motou sighed and nodded grimly. “It is,” he said. “I wasn’t expecting… I’ve never been…” He lifted his hands and stared at them as if they were going to suddenly clamp onto his throat and strangle him. “I’ve never been so helpless like that before.”

The Pharaoh looked away awkwardly. “In all my years, I’ve never known the Shadows to act like that,” he said. “It is troubling.”

“But not a bad thing?” Yusei asked hesitantly.

“You’re taking this really well, dude,” Judai said, eyeing Yusei suspiciously.

“He’s a Light,” the Pharaoh said simply. “The Shadows he uses are Light so they're very easily influenced by my aib- Motou,” he corrected himself. “Motou is the human head of the Light Triad in the Shadow Court. Only Ra is more powerful in that orientation.”

“Ra?” Yusei gasped.

“You mean like The Winged Dragon of Ra?” Judei cried, a surprised smile on his face.

Motou smiled. “Yes,” he said. “He’s a dear friend.”

“He?” Judai repeated. Then he understood, “He’s your duel spirit?”

Motou frowned in bewilderment. “Ah, no? I don’t think so. At least, not in the way you think,” he said.

“Um,” Yugi said, catching the group’s attention, “am I the only one who doesn’t know who this Ra is? Other than the Egyptian god of the sun, of course.”

The Pharaoh frowned. “You don’t know what the Winged Dragon of Ra is?” he asked.

Yugi hesitated. “No,” he said. “Should I?”

Something passed between Motou and the Pharaoh silently before the Pharaoh hummed. “Perhaps it’s best if we don’t tell you,” he said. “This must be before Kaiba’s first Battle City Tournament.”

“Yes, it is,” Yugi said. “What does that have to with anything though?”

“If you aren’t registered for the event yet, do it,” Motou said firmly. “That’s all we can tell you. Since you’re behind us in time, it would be best to keep the rest secret. The last thing we would want is to influence anything.”

Yugi blinked. “I am registered for it,” he said, nodding. “But I see your point about interfering with time. But can you still tell me at least a little bit about this Ra person?”

Motou smiled. “He’s the god of the Light Shadows. Every Shadow and Shadow user in the Light orientation answers to him and, by extension, me.”

“Just as every Shadow or Shadow user in the Dark orientation answers to Osiris the Sky Dragon,” the Pharaoh said. “Although, typically they just answer to me.” He focused his eerie crimson gaze on Judai. “Just as you do.”

“Uh, no I don’t,” Judai said.

The Pharaoh snorted. “When Motou started his Shadow Game, it made you ill, didn’t it?” he said with a sly grin.

“Well, yeah,” Judai said. “But that was because it was a Shadow Game. Those things are nothing but trouble.”

“Not true,” the Pharaoh said, shaking his head. “You fell ill because you couldn’t take that much Light near you. You’re too Dark. The Light Shadows would have tampered with you if I hadn’t been there to ground you.”

“What about me then?” Yugi asked, looking between the Pharaoh and Motou. “Why didn’t it affect me?”

“’Cause you’re Yug’,” Jounouchi said smiling proudly. “Well, you’re not _my_ Yug’, but you’re still Yug’ ‘n that's all that matters.”

Yusei was just as confused as Yugi seemed to be by that explanation.

“The Shadow Games themselves are structured and follow rules,” the Pharaoh said. “Those rules cannot be broken under any circumstances. If anyone tries, they suffer a Penalty Game. The type of Game Motou cast was a Judgement Game. If anyone missuses Shadow magic, we and the Shadow Court place them on trial in a Judgement Game. There the Shadows judge the offender. If they are found guilty of the crimes they are accused of, then the Shadows subject them to a Penalty Game.”

“However,” Motou said, “the Shadows do not understand the concept of mercy. We do. Because of that, we offer mercy to the guilty, offering them a chance of redemption.” His violet eyes flickered to Yugi’s and Yusei sensed more was being communicated than what was said out loud. “Not everyone accepts mercy.”

“Some don’t deserve it.”

Yusei turned around in surprise did the others at the unexpected voice. He could have sworn that was Kaiba’s voice, but it wasn’t as harsh as he remembered it. He stiffened when he saw the person standing there at the tent entrance. It was Kaiba but… it wasn’t. The person who held the tent flap open letting the light in had dark skin that was a shade or so lighter than his hair. Unlike Kaiba’s hair, this doppelganger’s hair was long and tied in three braids hanging down his back.

His clothes were odd to say the least, but nothing as outlandish or ridiculous as what Paradox wore. In fact, this person’s outfit was so simple, it almost felt strange to see. It was just a single, cream colored tunic that hung down to his ankles. A gold sash looped snugly around the person’s waist two hand lengths above a slit in the tunic that ran all the way to the bottom hem allowing for ease of movement. The person also wore gold arm braces, golden ankh earrings, and dark eye liner that almost looked like charcoal.

But perhaps the most distinct difference between the Kaiba Yusei saw earlier that day and the person standing in front of him now, was the eyes. The doppelganger’s eyes were brighter than Kaiba’s, clearer, and perhaps sharper. For some reason, this person made Yusei think of Motou, though he couldn’t figure out why. Then the person’s eyes left Yusei’s and locked onto Motou and the Pharaoh, releasing Yusei from their striking gaze.

“Seth?” the Pharaoh gasped.

“What are you doing out?” Motou asked, equally surprised.

The Kaiba look-a-like narrowed his eyes and stepped aside only for the real Kaiba to step in followed closely by Pegasus. Yusei didn’t miss the way Seth retreated from Pegasus’ vicinity, staying close to Kaiba’s side.

“Who’re you?” Judai asked, staring at the Kaiba look-a-like.

“In case you don’t remember,” Kaiba said, his voice harsh with frustrated annoyance, “you made a deal with the devil without asking.”

Motou shrank from Kaiba’s cold, hard gaze and again Yusei was struck by the distinct dislike of the action. Motou should _not_ be retreating. Ever. Yusei shook his head to clear the strange, intrusive thoughts. Pegasus’ laughter helped with that.

“Call it what you like,” the card creator said, waving his hand dramatically. “The fact of the matter is, you, Yugi-boy,” he pointed directly at Motou, “haven’t kept up your side of the bargain.”

Motou furrowed his brow in confusion. “I… I don’t understand,” he said. “We gave you everything you- Oh!”

He quickly reached into his pocket and pulled out what Yusei assumed was a phone, although it wasn’t like any phone he had ever seen before.

“What is that?” Judai asked.

Motou glanced up at Judai, flashing him a smiled as he typed something on the smooth, glass screen of the hand-sized device. “It’s a cellphone,” he said.  

“That’s a phone?” Yugi gasped, staring down at the device in Motou’s hands. “Where are the buttons?”

“There aren’t any,” Motou said with a friendly chuckle. “Well,” he added with a shrug, “except for the power button here,” he pointed to the button on the top edge of the phone, “the volume buttons here,” he pointed to the two buttons on the side of the device, “and the sleep button here at the bottom of the screen, see?” He held up the phone so Yugi could see it.

“Is that…?” Judai leaned close to stare at the screen. “Is that a KaibaCorp design?”

Motou grinned. “Yes, it is,” he said, turning the phone back so he could see the screen. "KaibaCorp phones are top of the line.”

Kaiba snorted. “As if I’d settle for anything less.”

Jounouchi glared at the KaibaCorp CEO. “Arrogant ass-hat.”

“Put a muzzle of your dog, King,” Kaiba said.

“Say that t’ my face you slimy fu-”

Pegasus threw his head back and cackled madly. “I see you both are the same,” he said.

Both Kaiba and Jounouchi stilled and turned the full force of both of their glares on the creator of Duel Monsters. Seth, Yusei noticed, just sighed. Seth caught Yusei’s gaze once more and nodded to him. Again, Yusei felt like he was looking at Motou except…darker.

Motou just sighed and swiped across the screen with a finger before tapping it once or twice. Then he hesitated and looked up to Pegasus. “I have the last thing you asked for,” he said with a quick glance at Kaiba, earning him a suspicious look from the CEO. “It’s on my phone. How do you want me to give it to you?”

Pegasus grinned in pleasure. “I see,” he purred. “Give your phone to me. I’ll give it back when I’m done.”

Motou hesitated before nodding and handing his device over to Pegasus. “It…would be best if you looked at it outside,” he said, his eyes flickering to Kaiba again.

Pegasus tilted his head in interest when he took the offered phone. One look at the screen though and he nodded. “If this is what I think it is,” his gaze sharpened, “then I’ll consider our deal complete.” He looked around at everyone present. “Gentlemen,” he said before turning on his heel and sweeping out of the tent.

“I hate that guy,” Jounouchi muttered, glaring after Pegasus. “And his ugly ass red suit too.”

“What are you hiding, King?” Kaiba demanded, eyeing Motou and the Pharaoh. “What was that?”

Motou took a deep breath and said, “One of the terms of the deal was Pegasus be allowed to see your reaction when we gave you Kisara’s card,” he said, meeting Kaiba’s eyes evenly.

Yusei watched the exchange cautiously, glancing between Kaiba and Motou. Kaiba’s glacial blue eyes studied Motou’s open violet before widening. Yusei edged closer to Motou without conscious thought when the blue eyes hardened in fury.

“You recorded me?” he snarled, advancing on Motou.

Without thinking about it, Yusei found himself stepping between Kaiba and Motou, Jounouchi by his side.

“Yusei?” Yugi said, surprised by his new friend’s move.

“Back off, Kaiba,” Jounouchi warned from his place next to Yusei.

“Seto,” Seth said, grasping Kaiba’s arm in a firm grip. It must have been a stronger hold than it looked because none of Kaiba's attempts to shake it off worked. “Seto,” Seth said again, this time with a pleading tone in his voice. “Not here. Save your power.”

After a few tense moments, Kaiba stepped back towards Seth but his glare never lost its edge. It did however shift to Yusei who, despite being intimidated, refused to back down. For a minute, nothing happened, then something like electricity and smelled like ozone touched him and he jumped, a stunned expression on his face.

“Yusei!” Judai cried. “What happened? You okay?”

Kaiba lifted an eyebrow and smirked. He huffed a laugh and then turned his gaze to Judai who was still trying to figure out what was going on. Yusei didn’t see anything happen, but he felt electricity thrum along his nerves and smelled ozone again just as Judai jumped three feet of the ground and landed inelegantly on his butt. Jounouchi promptly bent over clutching his stomach and cackling madly.

Yusei had the distinct feeling he was missing something important. He saw Kaiba look back at Motou and the Pharaoh who remained silent throughout the ordeal and again felt electricity spark in the air. But he also felt the same comforting warmth from the Shadow Game as well as a terrifying cold brush his skin too. It was a confusing overload that made him shudder.

Then Kaiba clicked his tongue and turned away. “I’ve done what I came here to do,” he said without looking back. “Clean up your own mess.”

A second later, darkness erupted from the ground causing Yusei and Judai to leap back in to avoid getting caught in it. Yusei could only watch in stunned silence as the darkness enveloped Kaiba and Seth like an inky, black blanket, then they vanished without a trace.

“What just happened?” he breathed.

“I’ve had just about enough of this,” the Pharaoh said.

Only, the Pharaoh’s mouth never moved although his carmine eyes did darken as he stepped closer to Motou. Yusei followed the Pharaoh’s gaze to Yugi and when he realized there was an entirely different feel to the boy.

“Someone had better start explaining things right now,” Yugi said again.

But it wasn’t Yugi anymore, was it?


	53. Sleep Deficit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which some answers are time-locked and Kaiba has a weakness for technology, Mokuba, and certain blue-eyed someones.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** Sorry for the delay in posting this! I honestly meant to update this last month but my _Warmth_ series has literally taken over my life. I took a couple days' break to work on this chapter for y'all. I promise to pick this back up. I'm not done after all. There's Book 3 still to come. Gotta deal with Mr. Bakura, after all.
> 
> That said, I hope you enjoy this chapter.

The stranger in Yugi’s body narrowed his eyes and said in the same fierce voice Yusei remembered hearing during his duel with Paradox, “I said, _explain!”_

Yusei hesitated, unsure whether to look away from Yugi or follow Yugi’s gaze to where Motou and the Pharaoh still stood. Thankfully, he didn’t have to make that decision because, not a moment later, Pegasus returned. The tent flapped open to reveal a very satisfied Industrial Illusions CEO.

“Well,” Pegasus said, his voice an unexpected balm to the tense situation. “That was most revealing. Who recorded this?”

Yusei heard a sigh from behind him followed by a morose, “Mai,” in Motou’s voice.

“Kujaku Mai?” Pegasus asked, mildly surprised. “Our friendly, neighborhood harpy duelist?”

“Is that her name here?” Motou asked curiously, stepping past Yusei to face Pegasus directly. “We call her Mai Valentine.”

Yusei blinked and, this time, did turn to stare at Motou incredulously. He caught both Judai and Yugi giving the King similar looks. Pegasus, however, was much less elegant in his response. The obnoxious CEO snorted, quickly covering his mouth with a hand to hide his impolite laughter.

“That’s certainly an…unusual name, shall we say,” Pegasus said.

Motou smiled, not at all embarrassed. “She’s aware,” he chirped happily. “She’s heard all the jokes and even makes some herself. Although,” he added with a wince, “I think it would be a good idea not to make one of those jokes in her vicinity.”

“Oh?” Pegasus asked easily.

“She’ll destroy you,” Motou answered with a playful smile. “She answers to Kaiba, er… _My_ Kaiba, that is. She’s his Sorceress.”

“His… Mai is a-?” Yugi gasped, his eyes wide in disbelief.

“She is indeed,” the Pharaoh replied, crossing his arms over his chest with a proud smile. “Very powerful one, too. Although,” he added with a snicker, “I think her title came from the fact she has the ability to bully Kaiba.”

“Well, to be fair, the Priestess can do that too,” the King said, glancing at the Pharaoh who chuckled.

“Yes,” the Pharaoh agreed. “She most certainly can. I think Mai and the Priestess are the big sisters the Regent never had. They essentially walk all over him.”

“Only because he lets them,” Motou said.

“That’s what Kaiba claims, anyway,” the Pharaoh said, shrugging. “We’ll let him go on believing that.”

Both the King and the Pharaoh smiled. Then Motou giggled and the Pharaoh’s eyes grew huge, staring at his near identical partner in awe and adoration. The expression seemed almost worshipful to Yusei. Although he still didn’t fully understand this whole situation, for some reason, when the Pharaoh aimed that look at Motou, it felt…right.

Even the expression on the face of the Nameless Pharaoh hidden within Yugi courtesy of the gleaming reverse pyramid dangling from Yugi’s neck eased to something more gentle at the display. Yusei shook his head, trying to clear it of whatever influence seemed to be infiltrating his mind. What was this? Mind control?

Suddenly, the King’s face filled Yusei’s vision and the Turbo Duelist stiffened, his eyes widening. Something deep within him was struggling to reach out to the young King, craving something that smelled like…home. Yusei blinked, stunned by the realization.

“You can touch me?” the King asked Yusei in honest surprise, a bright smile filling his face.

“Wha?” Jounouchi gasped, turning his wide eyes to Yusei. “Seriously? Wit’out any practice? Sheesh!” he muttered, stuffing his hands in his pockets in a blatant sulk. “Not fair, man.”

Motou chuckled fondly at his friend’s reaction but his gentle, violet eyes never left Yusei’s. “You said you’re from the future,” he said to the Turbo Duelist.

Yusei nodded, swallowing nervously. He was still trying to make sense of the odd emotions and sensations he was experiencing. “Y-yes,” he replied aloud.

The King hummed thoughtfully. “About how far, would you say?” he asked curiously.

“U…” Yusei paused to calculate a rough estimate, biting his lip thoughtfully as he did so. “About a hundred years or so, give or take,” he said finally.

Both Judai and this world’s Yugi gasped. “One hundred years?” Judai repeated, dumbstruck.

“Time travel, hmm?” Pegasus murmured, smiling in interest.

The King, however, just smiled wider. “Neat! Where do you live right now? Or,” he corrected himself, “in the future. Where do you live in the future?”

“New Domino City,” Yusei answered, sincerely confused by the young King’s words. “W-why do you want to know?” he asked. “It doesn’t really matter.”

But Motou merely grinned and tossed a pleading look to the Pharaoh. Confused, Yusei followed the King’s gaze only to see the Pharaoh blink, then smile and give his partner a tolerant shrug.

“If you wish,” the Pharaoh said. “We’ll need to, anyway.” Wine red eyes glanced at Judai who tensed despite the smile the Pharaoh tossed his way. Or perhaps he tensed _because_ of the smile. “You said you study at Kaiba’s Duelist Academy, yes?” the Pharaoh asked.

“I did, yeah,” Judai hedged.

“Are you there still?” the Pharaoh pressed. “Or were you there before you arrived here?”

“Why are you asking that?” Judai demanded, thoroughly disconcerted.

“Just answer the question, dear boy,” Pegasus said, dropping a hand on Judai’s shoulder. “I think you’ll find there’s a reason for it.”

“I…I don’t understand,” this world’s Yugi murmured, uncertain of what to make of all this.

Judai hesitated a moment longer before sighing. “No. I was in Venice, Italy,” he said reluctantly. “I never actually graduated from the Academy. It… It wasn’t for me.”

The Pharaoh nodded sagely. “I’m not surprised,” he said. “You seem more suited to learning on your own rather than in a controlled setting. I know several people like you,” he said, glancing significantly at Jounouchi.

The blonde duelist glowered. “I c’n feel ya judgin’ me from all the way ova here, ya know,” Jounouchi muttered.

“Not judging,” the Pharaoh corrected. “Just teasing.”

Jounouchi sulked.

“And how far in the future are you from, Judai?” the King asked the youngest duelist.

“You guys are freaking weird,” Judai grumbled. “I’m from about ten years in the future.”

“Is anyone going to explain what is going on?” this world’s Yugi demanded in growing exasperation.

“Nothing,” the King said in a sing-song tone that both the Pharaoh and the spirit of the Millennium Puzzle of this world recognized as a prelude to mischief. “Just planning a vacation or two,” he finished.

Jounouchi blinked and sighed loudly. “I’m so sick ‘n tired of this godforsaken nonsense,” he groaned.

For some reason, both the King and the Pharaoh chuckled. “In that case, we’ll be going,” the Pharaoh said easily.

“What?”

The cry rang from all of the duelists of this world with the sole exception of Pegasus. The Industrial Illusions CEO merely huffed. “Going so soon?” he drawled. “But we only just started to get to know each other.”

“All the more reason for us to leave,” the Pharaoh said. “We don’t belong here. We did what we came here to do. We’ll come back when we’re needed, but otherwise,” he and the King turned their gazes to this world’s Yugi, “it would be best if we left. If time truly doesn’t flow at the same rate in this world as it does ours, then there’s no telling how our presence here could affect things.”

The King nodded, his eyes sympathetic. “I’m sorry we can’t stay to explain right now,” he said. “We will some day, but it would be best if we waited a little longer. Just until things reached a certain…point in the future.”

Yusei blinked. Clearly, he was missing something important. But judging from the identical expressions of confusion and frustration on both Judai’s and this world’s Yugi’s faces, Yusei wasn’t alone. He glanced at Jounouchi who looked just as confused before his eyes widened and he slapped a hand over his mouth.

“Holy shit!” Jounouchi cried. “That’s right! Yug’ hasn’-”

“Jounouchi!” Motou said, stopping the blonde duelist from continuing. “Pegasus,” he turned to the creator of Duel Monsters. His gaze was dark and not entirely friendly despite the smile on his face. “Take care,” he said simply.

Jounouchi snorted and gripped the young King’s shoulder, giving the group a friendly thumbs up. “See ya on th’ other side,” he chirped.

Without another word, the Pharaoh vanished and both Jounouchi and the King vanished in a whirl of Shadows. It wasn’t anywhere near as dramatic as Kaiba’s departure, but it was just as impressive and disturbing. It also left an ache in Yusei’s heart. It felt like his home had just left him, again. The sensation left him reeling.

“What…the hell?” Judai said. “What the hell?” he said again, louder. “As if this day couldn’t get any weirder. You!” he said, whirling on Pegasus who had begun chuckling. “Explain!”

“Yes,” the Yugi of this world agreed. “I think we all deserve an explanation.”

Yusei nodded, unable to form proper words at the moment.

Maximillion Pegasus, the creator of Duel Monsters and clearly the one person left in the tent who had some inkling of what just occurred, hummed and rubbed his chin in consideration. Then he shrugged.

“No.”

“What?” Yugi gasped.

“Why the heck not?” Judai demanded.

“Yeah,” Yusei agreed, finally finding his voice. “We were nearly killed back there. We deserve to have at least some sort of-”

“Deserve?” Pegasus interrupted, lifting a perfectly plucked eyebrow mildly. “Some things just don’t get explained, dear boy. Just except that as a fact of life. You’ll sleep better at night. But, then again, I think you’ll get your explanations sooner than you think. Well,” he amended, “you and Judai will. You, little Yugi-boy, will have to wait a bit longer, I think. But then,” he smirked, “all good things come to those who wait. Isn’t that how the saying goes?”

Tossing his hair over his shoulder, Pegasus turned on his heel and strolled out of the tent without a care in the world.

* * *

 

Or he wouldn’t have had a care in the world, if he didn’t see Kaiba Seto kneeling by the crumbled remains of what looked like a motorcycle. Although, if it was a motorcycle, or had been, it certainly wasn’t like any motorcycle Pegasus had ever seen before. It really shouldn’t be much of a surprise to see Kaiba obsessing over a new piece of technology, especially technology that was not from this time or place. Heaving a very heavy sigh, Pegasus tucked a hand in his pocket and walked over to the Regent.

“And what are you doing, Kaiba-boy?” he called, alerting the Regent to his presence. “I thought you’d already left.” He smiled, the vicious glare Kaiba sent his way bouncing off him like water off a duck’s back. “You might want to leave quickly if you don’t want to find yourself on the butt-end of an interrogation,” he added.

As if on cue, a trio of voices rang out from behind him. Whatever the annoyed Regent had been about to say withered away before he had a chance to say it. Pegasus turned to watch little Yugi-boy, Yusei, and Judai come running out of the tent towards them.

“You know,” Pegasus said, waving his free hand, “if you don’t do something, they’ll catch up. If you want to make a quick getaway with your new toy,” he eyed the crumbled bike remains by Kaiba’s feet, “then I suggest you do something.”

Kaiba grimaced but said nothing. For a moment, a fleeting moment, the Regent looked utterly exhausted. It was gone before Pegasus could fully process the realization. Without giving Pegasus the chance to comment on the unusual show of vulnerability, Kaiba tsked and got to his feet.

“Honestly, do I have to do all your work for you?” the Regent grumbled.

He held up his hand, palm out towards the approaching duelists, and said something in a language Pegasus didn’t recognize. The result, however, was something Pegasus knew very well. A few feet from Kaiba’s hand, giant swords blazed down from the heavens and slammed, blade-first into the ground stopping Yugi, Yusei, and Judai in their tracks. The swords kept falling until they formed a complete circle around the duelists, trapping them inside.

“Goodness,” Pegasus said, studying the newly erected _Swords of Revealing Light_ Spell in wonder. “Most impressive. Any more tricks up your sleeve, Kaiba-boy?” he teased, turning to the Regent.

He expected a sharp retort. What he got, however, was anything but. As it was, Kaiba barely managed to shoot a glare in Pegasus’ direction which was definitely cause for concern.

“Are you quite alright?” Pegasus asked, frowning in concern.

“Shut up Pegasus,” Kaiba muttered.

Sakes alive, did Kaiba Seto just _stagger?_

“Kaiba, what- Hm?” A dull thudding from the _Swords of Revealing Light_ barrier distracted him from his lecture. Pegasus turned his gaze to the duelists trapped on the other side of the barrier. “Can they hear us, do you think?” he asked. He tapped the barrier, snickering at the frankly quite offended glare he received from the spirit of the Millennium Puzzle.

“No, they can’t,” Kaiba replied, kneeling by the destroyed vehicle again. “And we can’t hear them.”

“In that case,” Pegasus focused his one-eyed gaze on the Regent and said in a blunt tone, “you look like death.”

Kaiba flinched, narrowing his eyes. “Like you care,” he growled.

“Don’t confuse me with _your_ Pegasus. We may have the same face, but we’re not the same person,” Pegasus said sharply.

“You share the same soul,” Kaiba hissed, “and you still hurt Mokuba in this world. That’s enough reason for me to hate you.”

Pegasus sighed dramatically. “Well, be that as it may, that still doesn’t change the fact that you look like death and your little Yugi-boy King and his pet Pharaoh have returned to your world. So why are you still here? Don’t tell me you stayed for this broken pile of scrap metal.”

“This ‘broken pile of scrap metal’ as you so elegantly call it,” the Regent said, pushing himself up to his feet once more, “managed to not only travel through time, space, and realities in one piece, but it could also be used to support a duel.”

Of course. “So predictable,” Pegasus said with a sigh. He glanced back at the trapped duelists with a bored gaze. “I’m guessing this Spell of yours won’t last more than three minutes, give or take. Correct?”

“What do you think, idiot?” Kaiba groused.

“A simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ would have worked perfectly, you know,” Pegasus said, rolling his eye. “Anyway, if that is the case, then I suggest you leave while you can. It’s already been over two minutes since you cast it.”

When he received no response, Pegasus looked back at Kaiba. There was definitely something wrong with the boy. Pegasus watched warily as Kaiba leaned against the crumpled, white metal and closed his eyes, muttering something in the same language he’d used earlier to cast _Swords of Revealing Light._ This time, Pegasus felt something in the Shadow Realm shift when Kaiba vanished.

Something about Kaiba’s manner still bothered Pegasus, however. The Millennium Eye may have been taken from him, but Pegasus’ connection to the Shadow Realm was still strong. The power he now understood to be the Balance was weaker than it should be. It bothered him. He would have to keep a sharper eye on the dynamics of the Shadow Realm than usual.

The glow from the Regent’s Spell faded not ten seconds later, preventing Pegasus from dwelling on his darker thoughts. Right now, he had a convention to run and three very upset duelists to deal with. His work was never done.

* * *

 

“Nii-sama!”

Kaiba forced his eyes open and looked up. As long as he was able, he would always respond to those words in that voice. He couldn’t not. It was too ingrained in who he was.

He saw a mop of messy black hair fill his vision moments before he found his arms full of Mokuba. Small arms clamped around his larger body like a vice, binding him in place. Kaiba had no complaints, returning the gesture with as much strength as he could muster.

“You came back,” Mokuba said, shaking in Kaiba’s embrace. “I _knew_ you’d come back.”

He rested his head in his brother’s shoulder and focused on opening his eyes after every blink. The sheer effort it took to do something so basic was humiliating. It shouldn’t be this difficult to stay awake, but it was. He felt completely drained. Seth stirred in the back of his mind, tugging his consciousness down into the depths of his soul room. He needed to sleep.

No, he thought fiercely. Not yet.

“Are you alright, Mokie?” Kaiba asked, focusing all of his energy and concentration on listening for his little brother’s answer.

“Yeah,” Mokuba said, burying his face in his big brother’s shirt. “I’m okay. We’re all okay. Yugi, Yami, Jounouchi, Helios, Arawn, Pwyll, everybody. We’re all okay.”

Thank Obelisk.

Kaiba sighed in relief and closed his eyes to blink. When he opened his eyes once more, he was in his soul room. The futon beneath him was comfortable and enticing. All he had to do was close his eyes here and he could finally rest and rejuvenate his thoroughly drained soul. But what about-

“Be still, my Ka,” a voice whispered above him.

It took him a second or two to look up at the speaker through the corner of his eyes. “Seth?” he breathed.

“I’m here,” Seth said, tucking a strand of dark brown hair behind the Regent’s ear. “Rest. All is well now.”

But what about-

Seth slipped onto the futon next to his Ka and pressed himself close to Kaiba’s soul projection. Kaiba struggled to keep his eyes open. There was so much he still had to do. He couldn’t afford to sleep now. He was too vulnerable. Too-

“Sleep.”

That voice…

“My precious boys.”

It couldn’t be… He wished… He could dream is was her. If he could just open his eyes again. When did he close his eyes?

Cool lips pressed against his ear softly, tenderly.

“I’ll be here when you wake.”

He didn’t want to sleep. He wanted to…see…

“Kisara,” he murmured.

“Sleep Seto.”

He would always listen to her.


	54. Imagine Blue-Eyed Dragons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Arawn awakes to a talking dragon and a sleeping god.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** I'm so done. It's 3am and I have a 8am wake-up call. Night.

As suddenly as the agonizing sensation ripping apart his very essence and everything that was the Unseelie Court began, it stopped. He swore the world had been coming apart at the seams, unmaking itself without any explanation. Why? What had been the cause? What, by the Caldron, was that?

Dazed and confused, the Holly King sat back on his heels. Since when had he fallen to his knees? Pwyll was still tense and shivering in his arms. The Seelie King’s blunted nails dug into Arawn’s back very likely leaving red crescent marks behind. Normally, Arawn would have teased his old friend mercilessly for the unusually vulnerable action. But considering, Arawn himself was in much the same state of disarray, the Unseelie King decided against it.

Shaking his head in an attempt to clear it of pointless thoughts, Arawn lifted his head and looked around, almost afraid of what he might see. He expected to see the kind of chaos that came with disaster; the kind very few entities of any pantheon liked. What he saw instead, made his mind bog down in confusion, desperately trying to comprehend the sight.

The sun shone bright far above him as if laughing at the state of his sanity. Arawn blinked, blinded by the light that mere moments ago had been completely obscured by the Otherworld disintegrating into ash. This shouldn’t be possible. He’d watched the Otherworld crumble around him. He’d _felt_ his Court shatter into a thousand pieces like the shards of a mirror. It felt like someone or something had reached directly into his chest, wrapped iron fingers around his heart, and squeezed while a blunt knife hacked his body to pieces.

The world had been in the process of being unmade; both the Human world and its mirror, the Otherworld. Arawn was no fool. He had lived long enough to tell the difference between an end and an unmaking. That…destruction had not been an ‘end’ quite simply because, by definition, in order for there to be an end, there had to be a beginning and a middle. Whatever had been happening was unwriting the future and working backwards from there, taking the present with it.

Whatever power was strong enough to do that was not something Arawn ever wanted to cross. By all reasoning, there shouldn’t even _be_ a power strong enough to pull that off in the first place. So why had it happened? What had caused it to happen? Would it happen again? _Could_ it happen again?

Why had it stopped? Not that Arawn was complaining. But if the power unmaking the world had been stopped, that meant there was something even more powerful out there. Or, at the very least, something of equal power to stop the opposing force in its tracks. A balance of some sort. Just as Arawn’s pantheon had the Wheel of Time, always spinning on its axis bringing death and rebirth, tragedy and luck, Winter and Summer, the rise and fall of the Faerie Courts, and everything in between; other pantheons had their embodiment of a balance of powers in some way, shape, or form.

Had that destructive power been another pantheon? If so, which?

“Lord Arawn?”

The Holly King blinked, only now noticing the woman kneeling next to him. “Primula?” he whispered.

Her relieved smile took his breath away just like it always had and always would. Her warm hands, calloused from her duties, reached up and gently cupped his cheeks. He allowed his eyelids to droop shut when she brushed her thumb across his cheek and leaned forward to rest her forehead against his.

“I’m glad you’re back,” she murmured just loud enough for him to hear.

“My people,” he said softly. “My Court…”

“Are well and whole,” his wife said, pressing a reassuring his to his face between his snowy eyebrows. “As is the Seelie Court. Rhiannon has taken charge of the Seelies until Pwyll is well enough to see to his duties.”

“How long have I… _we_ been…” Arawn swallowed, unable to find the words to finish his question and not exactly sure if he wanted to know the answer.

His wife leaned back and the Unseelie King opened his eyes once more to look up at her as spoke once more. “No more than an hour,” she said. “The Otherworld is well. The Courts are whole. Although,” she added with a wry smile that hinted at the teasing nature Arawn had fallen in love with millennia ago, “you might have to fight your way through a flood of Unseelie denizens demanding to know what happened.”

Arawn heaved a sigh, groaning in exasperation. “I look forward to it,” he muttered, not meaning a single word. He dropped his gaze back to the Seelie King still clinging to him and sighed. “The younger ones, those with lesser powers, and those who were once Human like Pwyll, would have been most affected,” he said.

“I’ve already taken care of that,” Primula said gently, resting a hand on the Seelie King’s mouse brown hair. “I’m more worried about him, though. The Autumnal Equinox draws close, and with it, the end of his invulnerability. Anyone could challenge him for his throne in the state he’s in and defeat him with ease.”

Arawn shot his wife a wry glare. “I can sense your faith in my ability to protect him,” he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “It’s flowing off you in waves, beloved.”

“Call the truth what you will,” Primula said with an easy shrug. “The fact remains: he’s weak and you’re in no shape to defend him.” She studied her husband’s face and the corner of her mouth twitched up in amusement. “And now you’re sulking. How old are you again, dearest?”

The Holly King pursed his lips and groaned. “It’s rude to ask people how old they are,” he said. “Didn’t your mother teach you that?”

“No,” Primula said, a teasing smile on her face. “But a certain Fae did long ago. I chose to ignore that advice.”

Arawn rolled his carmine eyes but didn’t bother to fight back his smile. Already he could feel his strength returning. He was nowhere near full power as he would be on the Winter Solstice, but with each passing day, his power returned to him. It was a pity his power boost came at such a price.

Thick, snow white eyebrows furrowed in a worried frown as Arawn gazed upon his dearest friend’s unconscious form. Just as the Wheel of Time turned and the Tree of Life burned in the flames of the abyss, so too did Arawn’s power grow, draining Pwyll’s until only the smallest grain remained within the Seelie King. They would be of equal power at dusk on each Equinox and at their strongest at their respective Solstice; Midwinter for Arawn and Midsummer for Pwyll.

There were times Arawn wanted dearly to toss aside his throne and wander the world wild and free as he once did. But if he did so, he would have to pass his throne on to another Fae he deemed competent enough to handle it. He refused to do so until Pwyll made the same decision. Then, and only then, would he relinquish his throne and return to his carefree lifestyle.

Heaving a deep breath, Arawn savored the scent of Autumn in the Otherworld. He lifted his gaze and actually took his time studying his surroundings. Helios still lay on the flagstones near the pond on the terrace with Selene by his side. But now there were others present as well. One guest was unique to say the least.

“Is that…a dragon?” Arawn said slowly, his carmine eyes wide in shock.

He hadn’t seen a dragon away from their hidden lairs in the mountains of the Otherworld in ages. He had seen a couple Asian dragon the few times he visited the Far East during his wilder days before taking the throne of the Unseelie Court. But even on those rare occasions, the Holly King had never heard of a dragon like the one before him now.

The beast was not necessarily enormous, but it was large enough to take up much of the open space on the terrace near the pond. Its body was graceful and beautiful to behold. It had no scales yet it was still armored. Thick, sparkling, white plates covered the dragon’s entire body. They gleamed almost blindingly in the sunlight, pure and majestic. Its teeth were long and as sharp as a Fae blade, no doubt. The mere sight of this magnificent beast took Arawn’s breath away.

At his voice, the dragon turned its large head towards him and for an instant, Arawn questioned if this was truly a beast he was looking at and not an intelligent existence. Those blue eyes were too clear and bright to be anything less than a higher being. Straightening his shoulders, Arawn met the dragon’s gaze evenly. After a moment, he was certain it was laughing at him.

_:You have old eyes.:_

Arawn stiffened, his eyes widening only to narrow a second later. “Yes, I suppose I do,”  he said with a smirk. “But then, you do as well, Old One.” The dragon sniffed in what Arawn could only call disdain startling a laugh from him. “While I consider this a pleasure,” he said, moving to stand before remembering his armful of unconscious Seelie King and settling back on his knees, “I do have to ask your name and why you’re here.”

_:Then ask, Old One.:_

Yes, that was definitely an insult. The Holly King grinned. “Making me ask everything word for word, aren’t you?” he said, his fingers toying with his wife’s hande which still rested in Pwyll’s hair. “What is that Human saying? Ah yes. Like pulling teeth.”

A vibrating rumble reverberated from the dragon’s throat and those eyes sparkled with humor. She -and yes, Arawn was now absolutely certain the dragon was indeed a she- opened her mouth in what the Unseelie King could only see as a grin. In his head, she said, _:I think you’ll find these teeth hard to pull. I doubt you would survive the experience.:_

“I don’t doubt that,” Arawn said, nodding in agreement. “But be that as it may, this is my realm, my homeland. It is you who are the uninvited guest. It’s only polite you give me your name at the very least.”

The dragon tilted her head, considering the Fae’s words. _:True,:_ she replied. _:It would be polite.:_

Arawn waited as several silent seconds passed. Eventually, he chuckled. “You aren’t going to tell me, are you?” he said, already knowing the answer.

The dragon opened her mouth in another toothy smile. _:You learn quickly for an old person,:_ she said, amusement tinging her mental voice.

Despite himself, the response only made the smile on Arawn’s face grow in size. If the glee behind the smile began to melt away and be replaced by something darker, who was to blame him? “I’m afraid, in this case, I must insist,” he said.

“You are welcome in Avalon,” Primula said, clasping Arawn’s continually moving fingers in her own, squeezing them in a comforting manner. When her husband fixed his suspicious gaze on her, she brushed her thumb over the top of his hand. “I know you mean us no harm,” Primula continued. “If you had, you would have killed us all by now.”

The dragon closed her mouth and lowered her head in acknowledgement. _:I have no desire to bring harm to you,:_ she said, projecting her mental voice to all present. _:But I do not answer to you, nor will I ever,:_ she added, her crystalline blue eyes narrowed dangerously.

Arawn knew a threat when he heard one, but he did not take it personally. The dragon’s words were those of loyalty and not meant to be taken personally. Nevertheless, a frown began to worm its way onto his face.

“If you mean us no harm and you refuse to give us your name,” the Unseelie King began, allowing his Fae glamour to seep into his words, “then why are you here?”

The dragon gazed at the Fae thoughtfully before responding. However, her response did not involve words. Instead, she lowered her head, curving her neck so she could gaze at something underneath her wing. Arawn followed the dragon’s gaze and, when she finally lifted the leading edge of her wing, saw the reason for her presence.

There, slumped in his little brother’s arms, was Set. Or was it Seto Kaiba? Or Seth?

Arawn would have to figure that out eventually. He understood the need for a name that hid one’s true name, but the plethora of names the Egyptian god of chaos answered to seemed to continually grow in number. There had to be such a thing as too many names for a single person, right?

“Is he alive?” Arawn asked. He suspected so, because the boy Mokuba was not frantic with despair. Still, it never hurt to ask and receive confirmation.

“He is,” Primula said, startling her husband. “He’s sleeping at the moment.”

“Sleeping?” Arawn repeated incredulously. “Who could sleep after what just happened?”

 _:He has not slept a full night in several days,:_ the dragon said. She sounded worried and perhaps a tad bit annoyed. _:He also used a significant amount of strength and, like you, requires time to rest and replenish his reserves.:_

“And the boy?” Arawn asked.

“Resting as well,” Primula said.

This time Arawn looked directly at his wife and lifted an eyebrow at her in a silent demand for answers. The infernal woman merely smiled and tapped him on the nose.

“Next time don’t sleep through important events,” Primula said, a teasing smile brightening her face. “You miss things when you do that.”

Arawn’s other eyebrow joined the first at his hairline. He knew to expect sass from his wife. It was one of the reasons why he’d fallen in love with her so long ago, after all. But nevertheless, the way she did it so boldly would always surprise him in the best way. He snickered and swore the huff from the dragon was also laughter.

However, when the Unseelie King turned his burning gaze back to the dragon, she wasn’t paying him any attention at all. He watched as the dragon nudged Mokuba's sleeping form so the boy rested in the crevasse between her left forearm and her side. He must have been slipping to a less comfortable position. When she was satisfied, the dragon lowered her wing back down so Mokuba and Set were once again hidden from the sun’s bright light. Only then, did she turn her head slightly so she could keep an eye on both her charges and Arawn.

“Hey! Where’s Kaiba?”

Startled by the unexpected voice, Arawn blinked and turned his head to the guest room he’d led Set and the two lords Atem when they’d first arrived in Avalon. Standing in the doorway was the blonde Courtier Jounouchi.

“Whelp,” Jounouchi said, stepping out onto the terrace just outside of the door, “found ‘im. Well,” he amended, “foun’ Blue Eyes, anyway.”

“What?” the King’s voice echoed from further inside. “Where?”

“Blue Eyes?” Arawn murmured. He glanced at the blue dragon and hummed. It wasn’t much of a name, but it certainly fit.

The next moment, the King burst out of the room and coming to a stop next to his Knight yanking Arawn’s attention back to them. Large violet eyes immediately locked on the large white dragon lounging on the terrace flagstones. Arawn watched with interest as the dragon immediately lifted her head to face the new arrivals directly.

“You made it,” Yugi said, smiling in relief. The relief faded not an instant later. “Blue Eyes,” he said, taking a careful step forward. “Kaiba… Is he… Is Kaiba-”

He stilled and fell silent when the dragon tilted her nose down so both of her crystalline blue eyes locked on the King. They narrowed briefly before she lifted her wing just enough to reveal her precious treasure, lowering her wing as soon as comprehension dawned on the King’s two violet eyes.

“Is he asleep?” Yugi asked, lowering his voice just in case.

The dragon nodded slowly. _:Mokuba is with him:_ she said, projecting her voice to all present.

Apparently, that hadn’t been what the two Courtiers had been expecting. The moment they heard the dragon’s voice, they both jumped. Yugi, at least, had the presence of mind to keep his shock limited to his movements. Jounouchi, however, practically shouted in shock.

“What th’ hell?” the Knight cried, reeling back with wide eyes and flailing arms. “Blue Eyes _talks?!_ Dude, since when di' _that_ happen?”

Apparently, Blue Eyes did not appreciate the Knight’s volume. She opened her mouth displaying her teeth in something that was definitely _not_ a smile and growled threateningly. The Knight stiffened and slapped a hand over his mouth until Blue Eyes closed her mouth and fell silent once more.

 _:I have always been able to speak, Knight,:_ Blue Eyes said. _:My words were simply lost to me.:_ She lowered her head so it rested on the stone and made a rumbling sound that sounded much like a cat purring. _:However much I wish to hold this conversation,:_ she said, _:my boys must rest and your voices are nothing but a nuisance.:_

He couldn’t help it. Arawn snorted. He liked this dragon. However, no matter how interesting Arawn found this situation, the awakening Seelie King in his arms was more important.

“Morning, Sleeping Beauty,” Arawn teased when Pwyll finally found the strength to open his eyes and sit up. “Sleep well?”

Pwyll lifted his violet gaze to his old friend’s, slowly but surely releasing his death grip on Arawn’s body as he did so. The humor faded somewhat from the Unseelie King’s eyes when he saw the haunted look in Pwyll’s expression.

“What… What was that?” Pwyll whispered.

All traces of humor vanished completely with those emotionally frayed words. Arawn frowned. “I don’t know,” he said honestly. “But I can promise we will know before our guests decide to take their leave of us.”

Pwyll blinked in confusion before turning to the other present. “How long have we been…”

“Not long,” Primula said gently, tucking a stray strand of earthen brown hair behind the Seelie King’s pointed ear.

“Rhiannon?” Pwyll asked, a pleading note in his voice. “Is she-”

“Well,” Primula said. “She is watching over your Court as we speak. I sent Arthur with her when I was sure the danger had passed.”

Pwyll nodded, his gaze still clouded with confusion and exhaustion. “It feels like an Equinox,” he murmured.

It took much of Arawn’s self-control not to flinch.


	55. Another End, Another Beginning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Bakura suspects the peace, Marik hijacks the shower, and Ryou never gets the chance to scream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** Sorry for the long hiatus. This will be the last chapter of this fic, but **FEAR NOT!** There will be a sequel. Have to tie up loose ends and deal with the main bad guys behind everything, right? The next chapter for fic will be, as usual, the teaser for the first chapter of the sequel fic. The sequel will be called _Shadows Ascending_ and will be added to the _Shadow Justice _series at the same time the next chapter of this fic goes up so y'all can find it easily.__  
>   
>  **Side note:** This chapter does end in a cliffhanger. Blame my Mate **Raelyn_Sakura.** I threw out the ridiculous idea that I could do something drastic to Ryou. She didn't believe I'd actually do it so she dared me to. I take dares like that very seriously. Thus, with that dare fulfilled, I end _Shadow Relations_ and start _Shadow Ascending._ Hope to see y'all there.  
>   
>  **Also** , _Stellamara_ is an artist with beautiful music that I can definitely see Ryou listening to on calm evenings. I bet even Marik likes it. This is the song I had him listening to near the end:  
>  "Zablejalo mi agance" by _Stellamara_ \- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9y1eX6uQwE0  
> 

“I cannot _believe_ they just _left_ us there,” the Thief groused. _“Everyone_ left us. Even that bastard Advisor left us. That-”

Ryou sighed yet again as he listened to the former spirit fume. However, when the person next to him groaned loudly, Ryou snapped his mouth shut and stared at his companion in surprise. The Priest was slumped against the white wall of Ryou’s small studio apartment looking absolutely bored out of his mind.

“Hey,” Ryou said softly. “You okay?”

Instead of answering verbally, Marik groaned again and slumped further down the wall before shifting so he plopped unceremoniously onto the futon couch next to him. His leaned forward, propping his chin on a fist and tilting his head to the side so his could look at Ryou.

“This was funny for the first five minutes,” Marik said. His violet eyes flicked back to watch in mild amusement as the Thief continued to fume and pace back and forth across the floor all the while muttering to himself. “Now it’s just obnoxious.”

Ryou smiled and sat down next to his boyfriend. “Imagine living with him,” he said in a stage whisper.

Marik shot the Scribe a wry look, lifting an eyebrow. “I don’t have to. I already do,” he said with a smirk. “I do a lot of other things with him, too,” he added, enjoying the blush that crept into Ryou’s face.

“He’s not in your head, though,” Ryou argued, doing his upmost best to ignore the creeping flush in his cheeks. “He does this a lot. Sometimes I just sit and listen to him work it out, but usually he just likes to ramble."

“I heard that,” Bakura called from the other side of the small studio.

Ryou grinned boldly. “You know it’s true,” he said.

“I do not ramble in your head,” the former spirit grumbled, crossing his arms in frustration and pacing further away from his fellow Dark Triad members.

“So you admit you ramble,” Ryou said, his lips twitching up as a sly grin wormed its way onto Marik’s face.

“I most certainly do _not_ ramble,” Bakura said again, glaring at Ryou.

“Oh. Do you prefer the word ‘monologue’ then?” Ryou teased, smiling when Marik snorted.

One of Bakura’s eyebrows twitched. “My dear yadonoushi, I do _not_ monologue,” the Thief hissed, over-enunciating each word to emphasize his point. “Besides, I have other places to be than in your head all the time.”

“True,” Ryou agreed, making sure both of his boyfriends heard his next words. “You’re usually too busy being in Marik to be in my head.”

The Egyptian choked, slapped a hand over his mouth and held his breath until his face turned red. The temptation was too much. It took all of two seconds for Ryou to decide it was worth it. He reached out and pushed Marik’s shoulder easily knocking the former Gravekeeper down. The moment Marik’s back hit the futon, he had no chance. He sprawled out on the cushion cackling like a mad man while Ryou tickle tackled him.

The former spirit of the Millennium Ring frowned, not at all impressed with the display; although he did approve of his yadonoushi’s mischief. The Thief was too on edge at the moment to appreciate the lightheartedness. Nothing, not even Marik’s cackles could help improve Bakura’s mood.

When Arawn and Pwyll vanished to their world-dimension-place-whatever taking the Shadow Monarchy with them, it put the Thief in a bad mood. The fact Kaiba’s ridiculous puppy had been taken along for the Faerie Express just added insult to injury. Shaadi, the bastard, teleported away with Ishizu without even asking to take them along. That had ticked Marik off. Then the rest of the Shadow Court group of all places also left which was the last straw.

Ryou suggested he, Bakura, and Marik stay in Greece and wait for their monarchy to return. However, both Bakura and Marik refused to be stuck there any longer than necessary. Thankfully, the Justice League offered to drop them off somewhere, saving them from an exhausting trip Shadow Traveling from Greece to Egypt.

Unfortunately, Ryou had been the one to declare where they would be dropped off. Thus, the Dark Triad found themselves in Ryou’s home in the Pimlico district of London, England, rather than the Ishtar residence in the Ain Shams district of Cairo, Egypt. It wasn’t exactly the best place to lay low for a while, but it was better than nothing. At least the Justice League were unaware of its existence. Ryou had requested the League teleport them to Mile End Park instead of to his home address. The moment the League’s teleport light vanished, Ryou had taken over. A short Travel later through the and here they were.

That was perhaps a half hour ago, possibly less. The Thief’s sense of time was suspect at the moment. He couldn’t shake the feeling that this was not… He felt like he was experiencing a serious déjà vu event. Bakura never really had moments of déjà vu. Nevertheless, that was the only way to describe what he was feeling right now. His own pacing, Ryou tolerantly listening to him rant, Marik’s boredom, _everything._ They had all already happened. _All_ of this.

How? Why? What was this nonsense?

From the moment the world began going up in ash around them, all sense of time fell away. There had been no warning; nothing to indicate what was going on or who was behind it. Then it all just…stopped. As quickly and suddenly as it started, everything was back to normal. Still no explanation for what happened. It was irritating. 

Furthermore, Bakura could swear he’d felt the Pharaoh die. Not just the Pharaoh, either. The Thief distinctly remembered feeling the Light vanish, followed by the Dark, then the Balance soon after. He remembered hearing Marik shriek as the Dark Shadows and all the power of Osiris flooded his veins. He remembered watching the power burning the Priest alive from the inside out and rip him apart at the seams. He remembered helping Ryou try to hold Marik’s convulsing body down as the Priest died slowly, painfully. He remembered that. He _knew_ it all happened.

But now, it was calm, Marik was alive and well, the world was _not_ going up in ashes, and it seemed like no one but Bakura remembered what happened. While Bakura would be the first to say he was relieved those events had been undone, he was deeply disturbed by the fact it had happened in the first place. He had questions that needed to be answered.

First off, what, by Osiris’s black heart, had happened? Second, what had caused it? Third, who or what was responsible?

Bakura knew it definitely hadn’t been a hallucination.

Something or some _one_ had manipulated time. There weren’t many things out there that Bakura knew of with that kind of power, or the will to use it if they did have the power. Bending time was nothing to sneeze about. The only being Bakura ever met directly with the power to bend time in some shape or form was Zorc Necrophades.

Those were not days the former spirit had any desire to relive. But the fact remained, Zorc could manipulate time. Granted, it had been during a Shadow Game on a global scale, but Zorc managed to do it. However, even with Zorc’s incredible power, he could only turn back time once.

More importantly, everyone involved in the Shadow Game who wasn’t a non-player character remembered the time shift. Now, it seemed like only Bakura remembered the events before time was rewound. That terrified the former spirit. Who else remembered? _Did_ anyone else remember?

“Ah, I needed that,” Marik said, his voice cutting into the former spirit’s thoughts. The Priest was sprawled out shameless across the futon as if he hadn’t a care in the world with Ryou lying on top if him. Marik hummed and tilted his head back so he could look at the Thief upside down. “I feel I should inform you that I am bored,” he said with a shit-eating grin.

“Duly noted,” Bakura said in a flat tone. “Duly ignored.”

“You know,” Marik drawled, “since you’re technically in your yadonoushi’s kitchen, why don’t you put that nervous energy of yours to work and start cooking dinner?”

“I’m not nervous,” Bakura groused, rolling his eyes. “And if you want food, get off your sorry ass and cook it yourself.”

 _:Or you could stop pacing and tell us what’s really bothering you,:_ Ryou said silently.

Bakura hid his grimace but he knew his yadonoushi sensed it. Ryou was anything but oblivious. The boy was sharp, sometimes too sharp for his own good. Then again, if he wasn’t sharp, then there would be no way he could have become the legendary Thief King in ancient Egypt.

Crossing his arms in frustration, Bakura eyed his reincarnation cautiously before looking away. _:Nothing about this feels off to you?:_ he said cautiously. _:Nothing at all?:_

Soft brown eyes narrowed thoughtfully. _:What do you mean?:_ Ryou asked.

 _:The fact that the world almost ended and there are no riots in the streets, no Justice League flying around fighting, no police busting down our door, nothing,:_ Bakura said.

The Thief could feel Ryou meticulously go over every detail from the past hour or so. _:Yes,:_ Ryou said eventually. _:Yes, something does feel odd, but I’m not sure what it is.:_

 _:You’re awfully calm about this,:_ Bakura said, raising an eyebrow.

 _:Well, I’ve seen the world almost end a few other times, too,:_ Ryou said, folding his arms on Marik’s chest and resting his chin on them. _:Besides,:_ he added with a shrug, _:I get the feeling the threat’s past for now.:_

 _:For now, maybe,:_ the Thief agreed. _:But I highly doubt this is over.:_

Ryou frowned.

“Will you two stop that?” Marik drawled lazily from his place beneath Ryou on the futon. “Unless you want me to intrude on your minds-”

 _“Hell_ no,” Bakura said.

“-then start talking out loud so I can hear you,” Marik said, ignoring the interruption. “I am still here, you know.”

“Yes, how could I forget?” the Thief said, rolling his eyes dramatically. “You haven’t stopped moaning and groaning since this whole mess began.”

“You haven’t told me to shut up yet, so stop complaining,” Marik quipped.

“As if you’d listen to me,” Bakura said.

“I wouldn’t,” Marik agreed with a sneaky smile. “But I might if Ryou asked me. He’s so much more polite than you, ‘Kura.”

Ryou smiled but it quickly faded. “He’s worried about what happened earlier,” he said, glancing at the spirit in concern. “He doesn’t think it’s over yet.”

The Priest hummed thoughtfully. “Do you?” he asked after a moment.

Reluctantly, Ryou shook his head and dropped his gaze. “No, I don’t,” he admitted. “I wish it was, but wishing doesn’t do much in reality.”

“No,” Marik agreed, resting a reassuring hand on his boyfriend’s back, trailing his perfectly trimmed nails in soothing patterns along Ryou’s spine. “But it’s the thought that counts.”

“Maybe,” Ryou said with a careless shrug. He sighed, turning his head so his cheek rested on his arms hiding his face from Marik’s sight. “He stabbed me, Marik,” he whispered after a minute of silence. “My father _stabbed_ me. My _father_ stabbed me.” He lifted watery brown eyes to his boyfriend’s violet. “Why?” he asked softly, the tears threatening to fall. “Why would he try to kill me? Why would he do that? He’s my father.”

Bakura deliberately looked away. Both he and Ryou knew Marik wasn’t the best person to ask regarding anything involving fathers. But sometimes they needed to hear the truth spoken to them point blank in order for it to truly sink in. So while he didn’t watch Marik speak to his yadonoushi, he did listen closely to what was said.

“Fathers aren’t perfect, Ryou,” Marik said grimly, toying with the strands of white hair that rested on his boyfriend’s back. “They’re just as human as you or me. They can just as easily be as evil as we can be.”

“That still doesn’t explain why he did what he did,” Ryou said.

“It doesn’t matter,” Bakura finally, feeling his yadonoushi focus on him. “He tried to kill you. That’s reason enough to make him pay. I swear, I’ll send that bastard to the darkest, most uninhabitable corner of the Shadow Realm I know of the instant I see him next.”

Ryou sighed. “I… I’d rather you didn’t,” he said slowly.

“And why, by Osiris fucking hell, not?” the Thief demanded, turning his blood red gaze on his younger counterpart. “I’ve sent people there for lesser offenses.”

“Yes, and if you recall, I didn’t approve then either,” Ryou said gently. “Besides, you haven’t done anything like that since we freed you from Zorc’s control.” He smiled gently when Bakura dropped his gaze in acknowledgment. “Technically, _you_ didn’t send anyone there of your own free will,” Ryou continued.

“That you know of,” Bakura grumbled.

“Yes. That I know of,” Ryou agreed. He reached out a hand, waiting until the former spirit gave in and took it.

“Aren’t we a mess?” Marik said with a heavy sigh.

“I’m perfectly clean, thank you very much,” Bakura said, startling a grin from both of his boyfriends.

“You could still take a shower anyway,” Ryou said. “I know I need one.”

Marik lifted an arm and pointed to Ryou. “That is a the best thing I’ve heard all day,” he said. “I’ll take a shower over sex, right now. I haven’t had a shower in a couple days.”

“Yes,” Bakura said, “I was going to mention it earlier, but the whole crazy Greeks thing happened.” He smirked. “You stink.”

“You are a bad liar,” Marik said, nudging Ryou off of him so he could sit up and stretch luxuriously. “And I am bored. Did I mention I was bored?”

“Several times,” Ryou said giggling. He playfully batted away the Priest’s finger when Marik poked his cheek teasingly.

“In that case,” Marik said, swinging his legs off of the futon and standing, already undoing the ties on his favorite hoodie vest, “the shower is mine.”

“Make yourself at home, why don’t you,” the Thief said.

“I will,” Marik said with a playful wink. “Can I borrow some of your clothes while I wash mine?” he asked.

“Sure,” Ryou chirped.

The Egyptian stepped over to the built-in wardrobe across from the futon and swung the doors open dramatically. Violet eyes looked over the array of clothes neatly folded on the right half of the wardrobe or hanging up on the left side. It was with a heavy heart that Marik hung his head in despair.

“I can’t wear any of his,” he groaned.

“Hm? Why not?” Ryou asked, rolling over so he lay on his stomach, kicking his legs in the air behind him. “We’re about the same size.”

“That’s not the point,” Marik said.

Ryou frowned in confusion.

“Your clothes are horrendous,” the Egyptian said simply. “I’m taking you shopping after I bathe, fuck you into that bed, and take a nice, long nap.”

Both of Ryou’s legs thumped onto the futon and Marik snickered. He stepped away from the wardrobe to reach down and muss his boyfriend’s white hair fondly. He pulled his vest over his head and dropped it on Ryou’s head, laughing at the Scribe’s startled squeak.

“Watch over your landlord, Fluffy,” he said, fearlessly patting the Thief's head. “I’ll see you two shortly.”

With one last backwards wave, Marik strolled into the bathroom on the other side of the studio, closing the bathroom door behind him.

A snort.

“Fluffy?” Ryou teased.

Damn that Priest. Bakura harrumphed and vanished into his soul room.

Ryou chuckled. “Are you sulking?” he said.

Bakura didn’t answer, but he didn’t need have to. Ryou could feel the waves of embarrassment rolling from his companion’s soul room loud and clear. Yes. The great Thief King was sulking.

Chuckling, the Scribe pushed himself up from the futon and stretched. A moment later, he heard the water in the bathroom turn on. If there was one thing Ryou had learned about Marik since they really became friends, it was that the Egyptian adored showers. Ryou would probably have a good half an hour to himself before the Priest emerged from the bathroom. He might as well make the most of it.

He pulled out his phone and plugged it into his small audio dock that doubled as his alarm clock. He took a minute to scroll through his music and select a playlist that hadn’t been hijacked by Bakura or Marik. Then he plugged his two dancing water speakers into the audio dock and pressed play. Calm, mood music by Stellamara filtered through the small studio, mixing with the sound of running water from the bathroom and soothing Ryou’s frayed nerves.

After filling his electric kettle with water, he flipped the switch so the water would start to heat up. The relief he felt when the scent of tea hit his nose the moment he opened up the tin box that containing his horde of tea bags was indescribable. He ignored the mental eye roll he felt loud and clear from Bakura who was, yes, still sulking in his soul room. The spirit just couldn’t appreciate good tea.

Ryou hummed along with the music as he plucked his favorite mug from the cabinet and dropped a green mango peach tea bag from the tin into it. He’d never had this particular tea before. It was a new kind he’d bought a week ago but hadn’t had the chance to try yet. Better late than never, he thought, scooping two spoonfuls of sugar into empty mug.

The electric kettle hadn’t dinged yet, so Ryou rested his forearms on the counter and began thinking about what they would have for dinner. He had a fridge, but it wasn’t well stocked at the moment. He didn’t even want to think about the milk carton in there. Ryou was willing to bet the smell that would no doubt emanate from the carton if he dared open it would make even Bakura gag.

He sighed. That meant a shopping trip was due. They could go out to dinner tonight. Or, better yet, order take-out. Gentle brown eyes glanced out the window at the London skyline sparkling against the night sky. It was late, but not too late. They’re little trio did go back two hours during the trip from Greece to England, after all. There had to be at least one take-out place still open.

He turned back to the kettle to check it only to find himself face-to-face with something straight out of a Roswell documentary. He never had the chance to scream.


	56. Shadows Ascending Teaser

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A teaser for _Shadows Ascending_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** And with this, _Shadow Relations_ ends and the sequel _Shadows Ascending_ begins. The sequel has been added to the _Shadow Justice_ series as the direct chronological sequel to this fic. Enjoy the teaser and I hope you enjoy the sequel as well. ^_^

It wasn’t until he stepped out of the bathroom that he first noticed something wasn’t right. Ryou’s studio was small and, with the exception of the bathroom, was practically without privacy. Other than the built-in wardrobe and maybe under the futon couch, there wasn’t any place where a full-grown person could hide.

That being said, where was Ryou?

Marik frowned when he caught sight of the empty mug by the electric kettle on the kitchenette counter. If Ryou had been brewing tea, then he wouldn’t have wandered off for long. The Scribe did love his tea, Marik thought with a smirk.

The music Ryou must have turned on while Marik was still in the shower still played softly in the background. The light from the streetlamps outside still filtered in through the sheer curtains hanging over the window.  by the scanned the room visually before reaching out with his Shadows. He felt the souls of the neighbors in the apartments around Ryou’s, but no one else. Cautiously, Marik extended his search to the hallways of the building, then out to the street below, then further out into the city, then as far as he could reach.

Nothing.

He forced his Shadows to stretch as far as they possibly could, squeezing his eyes shut and wincing. He searched, opening himself as far as he dared until the strain of overextending himself forced him to stop. When his consciousness returned to his body, he was on his hands and knees gasping and sweating.

They were gone. Both of them. How? Where? Why?

Biting back the growing fear in his gut, Marik dug into his pants pocket for his phone. He pulled it out and quickly called Ryou’s phone. It took more self-control than it should have for him to keep his heart rate from fluttering frantically.

It rang through the speaker by his ear. It also rang from the floor underneath the futon couch. Marik dropped to his knees and scanned the floor for Ryou’s cellphone. He found it half hidden by the fuzzy throw rug that covered part of the floor. Ryou never went anywhere without his phone. Bakura sometimes did, until Marik gave him an earful about the problems of being unreachable.

Like now.

He needed to contact the Pharaoh and inform him of Ryou and Bakura’s disappearance, if he didn’t know already. Normally, Marik wouldn’t have been so concerned about his boyfriends vanishing for an hour or so. But considering the crazy situation they’d left in Greece with Ares, the Priest was feeling somewhat overprotective.

On second thought, perhaps he should contact Ishizu first. Maybe Shaadi had come to take the Thief and Scribe back to Egypt without telling Marik. It certainly wouldn’t be the first time Shaadi had done something like that. Honestly, did the Advisor never learn when to stop meddling?

Clutching his boyfriend’s phone in one hand, Marik dialed his sister on his own phone and waited impatiently for her to pick up. When she did, she sounded exhausted. He winced in sympathy. He’d probably woken her up.

 _“Hello?”_ Ishizu mumbled into the phone, her voice husky from sleep.

“Sister,” Marik said, leaning against the corner of the kitchenette. “Sorry, did I wake you?”

 _“Mm, no,”_ she said. _“I haven’t gone to bed yet."  
_

The Priest dropped his gaze to Ryou’s phone in his hand, brushing a thumb over the as he struggled to find the words. “Have you seen Ryou or Bakura?” he asked, trying his best to sound casual.

 _“Not since we left Greece,”_ Ishizu said cautiously. _“Why?”_

“Because they’re gone,” Marik said, walking to the apartment window. The city lights glittered spitefully in the darkness. “As in _gone_ gone. I can’t feel them anywhere. I’ve reached as far as I can with my Shadows and nothing. I couldn’t even catch a hint of their Shadows.” His eyes narrowed. “Sister, did Shaadi take my boyfriends again?”

Ishizu sighed. _“No, Marik. He didn’t. He’s with me at the moment. Shaadi,”_ she said, her voice becoming distant, probably turning her head to talk to the Advisor. _“Is Kaiba awake yet?”_

Mumbled words in the Advisor’s soft, distinct tones filtered through the phone speaker. Unfortunately, whatever Shaadi said was too soft for Marik to make out.

 _“Shaadi can’t reach Kaiba so he’s probably resting,”_ Ishizu said. _“It’s about time,”_ she added in a tone Marik knew all too well. _"T_ _ry contacting the Pharaoh. He might know where your boyfriends are. If he doesn’t, then he may be able to help you find them.”_ The faint whistle of what sounded like a kettle rang from the background on Ishizu’s end of the call. _“Could you get that?”_ Ishizu called, her voice muffled as she turned her head away to speak to Shaadi.

Marik sighed. “Alright,” he said. “I don’t know where he is, but I’ll try-”

 _“About that,”_ his sister said suddenly, _“try reaching downward with your Shadows.”_

“Down?” Marik parroted in confusion. “What? You mean down into the earth? Like underground?”

 _“No,”_ the Priestess said. _“I mean allow your consciousness to enter to Shadows as if you’re about to Travel, then, instead of reaching out horizontally, try reaching downwards.”_

“Wha- I mean, okay, but why?” the Priest asked. “What does that do?”

 _“It’s how Kaiba, Shaadi, and Mai traveled to the other reality,”_ Ishizu said.

Instantly, Marik sat upright, his eyes wide.

Marik narrowed his eyes as he mulled over this new information. “Would that work with different dimensions?” he pressed. “I doubt the Pharaoh is in another reality. I can still feel the Dark and it’s not… It’s still here, if you know what I mean.”

 _“I do,”_ his sister said. _"_ _I honestly don’t know if this will work,”_ she admitted hesitantly, _“but it is worth a try.”_

Marik nodded even though he knew she couldn’t see. “I’ll give it a go,” he said. “If it works, I’ll let you know.”

 _“Thank you,”_ Ishizu said. _“I’ll keep watch over your progress from here.”_

“Don’t strain yourself,” Marik said, closing his eyes and focusing on his Shadow senses.

 _“I won’t,”_ the Priestess said. _“I doubt Shaadi will let me.”_

A blonde eyebrow twitched. “One day, I swear-”

 _“Watch your words, brother,”_ Ishizu warned.

Rolling his eyes, Marik grumbled. “I’ll call you later,” he said.

_“Please do. Be safe, brother.”_

“When am I not?”

_“Always.”_

Before his sister could elaborate, Marik hung up and let his hands drop to his lap. He studied both his and Ryou’s phones in his palms. After a moment, he clutched them tightly and closed his eyes, drawing his Shadows to him. They came whispering and grasping to his call. Their words were a mesh of voices that clamored over each other despite never growing in volume.

He shushed them with a firm thought, waiting for them to calm and begin swirling around him, waiting for his command. When he was ready, he allowed his consciousness to drift into the Shadows’ clutches, feeling them writhe with him, whispering their excitement, ready for the hunt. He grinned both here and in the human world as the Shadows’ enthusiasm infected him.

Then he plunged downwards, feeling for a ‘bottom’ of some kind. Was there a bottom? He couldn’t feel one no matter how far he reached. However, curiously, the further down he dove, the further he felt the Pharaoh’s signature Shadows drift. He stopped his descent and lifted his Shadow senses upwards. If down led to alternate realities, then would up lead to alternate dimensions?

No reason not to try.

His Shadows surged upwards, carrying his consciousness with them. He was lost in a cloud of whispers and brushes, continually climbed. When the Pharaoh’s Darkness neared, he knew he was heading the right direction. He felt a tingle but ignored it. He hadn’t reached the Pharaoh yet. Another tingle, again he ignored it. A third tingle and this time he slowed to a stop.

The Pharaoh was here. He knew it. He could _feel_ it. He could _hear_ it. The Pharaoh’s Shadows whispered incessantly, speaking of Osiris, or the Darkness, of the Light, of curiosity, of worry, of the Regent. Marik felt his body smirk. The Regent was here too. The Shadows of the Balance were soft, resting, but they were here. So was the Balance’s Fulcrum and the Knight. Everyone in one place.

Everyone except the Thief and the Scribe.

He lashed out with his Shadows, tangling with the Pharaoh’s Shadows and yanking hard. He felt the Pharaoh stumble in surprise before he was suddenly the focus of the monarch’s full attention. The full force of the Pharaoh’s Shadows would have intimidated any Balance, except the Regent, and terrified any Light. But it was a warm welcome to the Priest of the Dark Tried; a welcome which Marik readily accepted.

A mass of inky blackness grew from the shadow cast on the patio from the tower of Avalon. The blackness coalesced in a humanoid form, then a pair of lilac eyes opened where the shadow person’s head should be moments before the blackness faded away.

“Theatrical as usual, Marik,” Yami said.

The Priest sniffed. “Coming from you, that’s almost funny,” he said. “But I didn’t come here to put on a show.” His eyes darkened to something dangerous. “Tell me Pharaoh,” Marik said, his calm voice a stark contrast to the raging fury blazing in his eyes, “where are Ryou and Bakura? Where are my boyfriends?”


End file.
